


This Isn't Pretty Woman

by djchika



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: (heh), (sorta) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blow Jobs, Cam is a Good Bro, Christmas, Cowgirl Position, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Happy Ending, Holidays, It's a christmas fic!, Jealousy, Kyle is a Good Bro, M/M, Millionaire Alex Manes, Mutual Pining, Praise Kink, Romantic Comedy, Sex Toys, Sex Worker Michael Guerin, of course it's a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:53:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28109637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/djchika/pseuds/djchika
Summary: Alex never wanted to be a ‘Manes Man’, but when his father dies and accidentally leaves his entire company to his estranged son, Alex has no choice but to turn the family legacy into something he could call his own. If only it was that easy.Michael had left Roswell, left everything and decided that life on the open road was what he needed. He doesn’t mean to pick up an old friend, but one thing leads to another and he finds himself in a situation that’s straight out of a romcom. Only thing is his life has never resembled a movie and he’s absolutely positive that this? This isn’t Pretty Woman.-[or: originally a fic inspired by Pretty Woman that turned into a Christmas romcom]
Relationships: Alex Manes & Kyle Valenti, Jenna Cameron/Liz Ortecho (minor), Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 128
Kudos: 146





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be updating every other day so everything should be up by the 22nd/23rd. I don't understand timezones >_<

On the day Alex left Roswell for the last time, he’d prepared for a life destitute. Possibly a hand to mouth existence, but one that wasn’t bound by his dad’s rules. Surrounded by found family and good friends.

What happened was the opposite. Bank was all Alex had. No one he called family, barely any friends. Just a shit load of money from a dead father who forgot to remove his estranged son from his will.

Funny how life worked out.

-

Manes security was the crown of the Manes empire. It had been built on his father’s unwavering, paranoid insistence that the human race needed to defend themselves. Against what exactly Alex was never sure. No one else knew either, but they still bought into the belief.

The company started with simple security solutions that branched out to tech which led to multibillion-dollar government contracts. Alex had jumped ship the moment he could, but his brothers had all been happily entrenched in the family business.

Or so he thought.

-

“What the fuck do you mean he left it to me?”

“Technically he left it to all his sons, but Flint signed away everything to do with the company when he started his own business, Gregory insists he’s retired, and after his breakdown, Clay gave Gregory special power of attorney. Gregory’s saying Clay doesn’t want it either.”

“Well,  _ I _ don’t want it! Jim, are you hearing yourself? I can’t take over my father’s company.”

“Jesse had the entire board of trustees under his thumb and he kept a lot of secrets. Without one of you to figure things out they’re going to strip it for parts and sell to the highest bidder. You might not care for your father’s legacy, but the Manes Group cuts a hundred thousand paychecks across several businesses. That’s a lot of jobs on the line.”

Fuck.

-

That had been five years ago. Five long fucking years of going from a quiet life running a small music shop near the hometown to living full time in New York city.

Nothing about his new life vaguely resembled his life in Roswell. 

Well, except for Kyle Valenti.

“It’s two in the fucking morning. Go home,” Kyle ordered from where he was leaning against Alex’s office door.

“Should I even point out how hypocritical that is considering you’re here too?”

“That’s because you’re a slave driver.” 

Kyle was lying through his stupid perfect teeth. Alex worked hard to make sure they were one of the best employers in the country  _ thankyouverymuch.  _

Besides, Kyle wasn’t even technically his employee. Valenti, Valenti and Son had been the company’s firm even before Alex took over.

“I’m going after this. Leave me alone.”

“As your legal counsel I highly recommend sleep before signing any of those.” Kyle said, walking over and pushing at the stack of papers on Alex’s desk so he could lean on the edge. “I’m in China for two weeks then heading to Roswell after, but I can do a telecon for the Long deal from there. I think Cam scheduled it on a Wednesday.”

Alex clicked open his calendar. “My Monday that week’s surprisingly free. We can do it then.”

Kyle huffed at the ceiling before pointing at Alex’s laptop screen obnoxiously. “That’s because that’s the day before Christmas Eve and you declared it a company holiday.”

“Right,” Alex said, pushing Kyle away. “Wednesday it is.”

“Are you sure—”

“Yes, I’m sure I don’t want to go with you to Roswell for Christmas. Yes, I will be fine spending Christmas by myself. Asking me a dozen times isn’t going to change my answer.”

Alex appreciated Kyle’s concern, but Christmas was just another day. He wasn’t traumatized, he didn’t hate the holiday, he just didn’t care. What he  _ did _ care deeply about was avoiding Christsmas with his family at all costs. Now  _ that _ was a recipe for disaster.

With a sigh, Kyle straightened and started towards the door. “Fine. I’ll see you when I get back. That gives you more than enough time to get me the present you forgot to buy me so you won’t feel bad that I already left yours at your place.”

Presents. Shit. He remembered signing off a list from Cam, but Kyle always insisted that didn’t count. Maybe he could get him something online.

Seeming to read his mind, Kyle turned and pointed a finger at him. “You better make an effort of going to a store for me this year, jerk.”

That was how Alex ended up asking the driver to find a 24-hour sex shop so he could buy Kyle a gag gift that met his sentimental requirement before buying Kyle’s actual gift online like a normal person.

That was also how Alex literally fell into Michael Guerin.

-

“You looking for something? Wanna go for a ride?”

The familiar low drawl had Alex’s heart beating wildly in his chest. He turned quickly, misjudged his center of gravity and only avoided a complete pratfall because Michael’s arms were suddenly around him keeping him steady.

The shock he was feeling was mirrored in Michael’s face.

“Alex?”

-

The last time he’d seen Guerin was the summer after high school. He was being shipped off to West Point, while Michael was off to UNM on a scholarship.

They’d been friends in the way that two queer kids in a small desert town naturally gravitated towards each other. Something had bubbled beneath the surface, but they’d left it to simmer. Neither wanting to risk the tentative solace they found in each other. 

A long series of almosts that never culminated in anything.

Alex had graduated, gone on a couple of tours, got blown up and opted for an honorable discharge.

Michael had apparently graduated, found out working with any sort of system didn’t fit him, and chose to travel the country in his truck, picking up odd jobs where he could.

When he meant pick up. He meant  _ pick up. _

-

Michael whistled low when they entered Alex’s apartment. 

"Always knew you were loaded. I didn’t think you were  _ ‘bring out the guillotines’ _ rich.”

“I’m not. Or I wasn’t,” Alex amended. “All of this was my dad’s. I’m always afraid I’m going to discover a room I didn’t know existed where someone’s been living there the whole time.

For better or for worse this was his life now. The place was disproportionately huge for someone living alone, but it had come with the inheritance and he’d never gotten around to looking for something new.

Michael smirked as he made himself comfortable on the leather couch. “Still not a fan of horror movies?”

“I learn from them. There’s a difference,” Alex corrected as he slipped off his tie, coat and shoes already discarded. “Drink?”

“Yeah, why not.”

Alex poured them each a glass, watching as Michael surreptitiously took in the rest of the room. He wondered what Michael assumed of him based on it. If he’d notice there was nothing about the place that suggested it was Alex’s. The only addition he’d made was an indulgent purchase of a baby grand.

“I see your horror movie education never taught you not to let strangers into your home,” Michael said when Alex handed him a bourbon, neat.

“You’ve always been strange. Hardly a stranger.”

He sat down next to Michael, taking a long drink from his glass as Michael did the same. The liquid flowed smoothly down his throat, heating his body quickly. It also served to quiet the butterflies that were fluttering oddly in his stomach. Odd because for most of his teen years Michael had been the only person who’d allowed him to be himself.

“You never know what’s going on in people’s heads.” Michael smirked, eyes roving over Alex’s body.

Back in high school, with his from the wrong side of town, bad boy reputation, Michael’s almost trademark smirk had been charming and innocently dangerous. Now, the slow smirk was backed with a confidence in his sexuality that was outright devastating. 

Or it would have been if Alex didn’t see right through him. 

“Are the lines part of the package?”

“Depends, is it working for you?

Alex raised an eyebrow before downing the rest of his drink. Michael seemed to take that as an invitation, moving both their glasses to the coffee table before straddling Alex smoothly.

It was his teenage fantasy come true. Michael was different, the cut of his jaw sharper, a messy beard where there used to be smooth skin, but the warmth of his eyes was still the same. The pull that tugged at Alex’s chest just as strong.

“Do you have rules against kissing?”

Michael shook his head with a laugh. “That’s not a thing.”

The kiss Michael gave Alex was surprisingly soft. A tentative press of lips on lips that belied Michael’s previous confidence. Alex tongue darted out, licking against the seam of Michael’s lips until they opened up for him. He tasted like bourbon, like the first burst of summer rain.

It barely lasted a minute before Michael pulled back a little, eyes searching Alex’s as if to make sure he was okay.

Unwilling to examine the sudden knot behind his ribcage at that look, Alex surged against him kissing Michael slow and deep until they were both gasping for air.

“Sure this is a good idea?” Michael asked breathily even as his hands roamed, touching Alex’s torso, his neck, his hair. 

“Nothing but a business deal.”

“Hmmm,” Michael’s hands moved to the buttons of Alex’s shirt, undoing them one by one. “Preferences? Hard nos?” He leaned in, sucking kisses into Alex’s jaw and down his neck. 

Alex groaned when Michael’s mouth latched on to his pulse point, sucking gently. He could feel himself getting harder, Michael’s own erection pressed up against him. The sweet friction was making it hard to concentrate on what Michael was saying.

“You’re not going to make me sign a release are you?” he managed to ask finally. For all he knew there might be paperwork involved. He’d never actually slept with a hooker before.

The laugh that rumbled out of Michael’s chest, drew a smile on Alex’s face. “No, but it’s gonna cost depending on what you want.”’

“Consider me your booking for the night then double it.” 

He didn’t even care what that amount was. Michael was worth it. Using his father’s money was just a  _ fuck you _ cherry on top.

Michael smiled, slow and filthy. “Works for me.” 

Their lips met in a hungry kiss, Michael leading this time. Hand curved around the back of Alex’s neck, fingers tangled with the ends of his hair as he sucked on Alex’s tongue. 

Alex gave back as good as he got, nipping at Michael’s lower lip and making him grind down against him. 

“You’re not going to get your money’s worth if you keep doing that,” Michael growled. 

“Is there a customer satisfaction guarantee?” 

Michael drew back to give him an offended look. “Definitely.” 

Alex’s laugh quickly turned into another moan when Michael hands slid between the fabric of his open shirt, the rough pads of his fingertips tweaking against the bud of one nipple. 

“You have way too many clothes on.” Michael kissed him again. An open-mouthed, filthy kiss that wrenched moans from them both. Large hands reached lower, tugging at the buckle of Alex’s belt. 

It wasn’t until Michael had coaxed his zipper down that the nagging in Alex’s head penetrated through his haze of desire. 

“Wait.” 

Immediately Michael froze. He moved to get off, but Alex stopped him with a hand on his waist. 

“I don’t-- I mean,” Alex paused, still trying to catch his breath. “The lower part of my right leg. It’s a prosthetic.” 

Alex waited for the flicker of pity, that sudden flare of curiosity, but Michael simply nodded, his hands finding Alex’s belt once more. 

“Do you want it on or off?” 

It took a moment before Alex could swallow past the sudden lump of emotion lodged in his throat. 

“On for now,” he replied gruffly. “But you should take your clothes off.” 

Michael pushed off him, making short work of removing his clothes until muscle and skin were in full display. There wasn’t an ounce of shame in him as he let Alex’s eyes roam, taking his fill of the shape of his arms, the dark hair on his chest that tapered down to toned abs and down, down to where Michael was already hard and flushed.

“Here are my rules: Light spanking is fine. Anything beyond that needs to be pre-discussed. Nothing that involves any amount of bodily fluids aside from the usual and condoms 100% of the time,” Michael ended his speech by pulling a foil packet from his pants. 

“Glad to know I’m working with a professional.” 

With another dirty smirk, Michael slid to his knees between Alex’s legs. “Let me show you what a professional blow job feels like then.” 

Alex allowed Michael to pull down his pants and roll on the condom before asking, “Are you sure you aren’t overselling yourself?” 

Michael looked up at Alex through his eyelashes, a mischievous glint in his eyes, before swallowing him down to the root in one smooth motion. 

The groan that punched out of Alex was completely involuntary. Michael wasn’t lying about knowing how to give head. He took his time, licking and tasting like he couldn’t get enough. Doing things with his tongue that had Alex clutching Michael’s shoulders, hands finding their way into his soft curls. 

His mouth was a furnace. Enveloping Alex in its wet warmth again and again. Michael had always complained about running hotter than most, but Alex didn’t think of how it would translate to this. 

A particularly delicious swipe of his tongue had Alex instinctively tightening his grip in Michael’s hair. Michael closed his eyes, a ragged moan vibrating in his throat. Alex pulled again, wrenching another deep moan from Michael as his hips stuttered as if seeking friction.

“Touch yourself,” Alex rasped out. 

Michael locked eyes with him as he took Alex into his mouth again. Deep, deep until the head of Alex’s cock was nestled in his throat. 

Only then did Michael touch himself, a low moan reverberating from his chest as he swallowed around Alex. 

It was beautiful to watch. Michael on his knees, lips swollen, pupils blown-wide as he chased his own pleasure. An explosion of heat filled him when he realized that, paid or not, Michael wanted this as much as Alex did. 

It was that thought that tipped Alex over the edge, vision whiting out as he came down Michael’s throat. He hauled Michael up, kissing him. The taste of bourbon had been replaced by the disgusting taste of latex, but underneath he could still taste the first burst of summer rain. 

Alex took Michael in his hand, pumping slowly and deliberately until Michael was panting against his mouth, coming with a shout of Alex’s name. 

\- 

They went again in the shower. Then once more in the bedroom. 

Alex fell asleep expecting Michael to be gone in the morning, but he woke up with Michael mouthing a trail down his chest and before Alex knew it, they were both waking up again just in time for brunch. 

“I’m officially off the clock, but if you feed me I promise I won’t charge overtime,” Michael said, naked and splayed out on Alex’s bed, a lazy smile on his face.

Alex was tempted to crawl on top of him, ride him just like Michael had done to Alex the night before, but his stomach was having none of it. He pulled out his phone to find somewhere to order, but Michael huffed at him before dragging Alex to his rarely used kitchen.

He honestly wasn’t sure when he’d last gone to the grocery, but apparently his housekeeper kept his refrigerator stocked enough for Michael to make them pretty amazing omelettes. Alex, who had never really developed any culinary skills, contributed a stack of toast.

“Best toast I’ve ever eaten,” Michael said with a cheeky grin prompting Alex to throw a soggy bit of tomato at him.

It was like no time had passed at all. The conversation and banter Alex had cherished flowed freely between them. 

“You’ve been to more places than there are counties in New Mexico and you can’t tell me which one is your favorite?” Michael asked after they’d finished. They were at the sink, Alex on drying duty as Michael washed.

Alex shrugged as he put away the last of the plates. “Wasn’t really allowed to go sightseeing when I was in Baghdad and business trips are exhausting. Ever since I took over it’s like my whole life has been about the company. You’re lucky. You’ve probably seen more of New York than I have.”

Michael shook his head sadly. “I can only imagine how hard it must be in your  _ penthouse _ with your big,  _ heaping _ piles of money.”

Alex snapped the dish towel at him, laughing when Michael caught the end and used it to pull Alex close so that he was trapped between Michael and the sink. A flood of memories from that morning and the night before rushed through Alex like wildfire, spreading throughout his body and congregating at every point where Michael was pressed up against him.

As if he could read every thought that was running through Alex’s mind, Michael leaned in, a smirk on his stupidly kissable lips.

“How about a distraction then?” Michael asked, his voice low and husky sending sparks up and down Alex’s spine. “A special, one-of-kind service only available for the next couple of hours.”

“I should hire you as my closer,” Alex said, allowing his hands to roam over Michael’s back. “With a proposal like that, how can I possibly say no? ”

The mischievous grin that broke out across Michael’s face was  _ not _ the reaction Alex was expecting. 

“Good. Shower and then let’s get dressed,” Michael ordered, pulling him towards the bedroom which was more in line with what Alex was expecting but with  _ less _ clothes not more.

Alex’s blind trust hit its limit when Michael informed him that he was going to need more layers.

“What the hell are you planning, Guerin?

The way Michael’s whole face lit up with an excited smile warmed Alex more than any sweater, but it did nothing to temper his dread at Michael’s next words.

“I’m taking you on an exclusive Guerin NYC Christmas tour.”

\- 

The city was exactly as crowded as Alex expected it to be. Too many tourists, too many kids, too many demanding white people during one of the busiest times of the year. It didn’t stop Michael from talking Alex into posing with every decorated tree and snowman and random vaguely-winter holiday themed paraphernalia they came across.

It was torture. Except for the part where Michael really, truly loved Christmas. 

“How did I forget you were this much of a dork?” Alex asked when they were finally ensconced in the warmth of a small café. The memory of his fascinated horror as their class rebel without a cause, slowly shed the grump and the growling to the point of  _ actual _ cheer suddenly clear in his mind.

“I’m doing this for you so you don’t go from Scrooge McDuck to Ebenezer Scrooge,” Michael said, crunching happily on a biscotti as he scrolled through his phone gallery. He laughed, tilting his phone to show a photo of Alex scowling, the handful of snow Michael had pelted at him fresh on his coat.

“There are way worse things you can use to blackmail me,” Alex pointed out.

“You think I’d do that to you?” Michael asked. The sudden shift in his demeanor, a hand carding through his hair, eyes hard, his lips quirking into a nonchalant smirk was so startlingly familiar that Alex’s heart ached in his chest.

Like a full-fledged idiot it was only then that he realized the implication of what he’d said.

“Of course not,” Alex said sincerely. “I  _ meant _ I wouldn’t put it past you to dig up photos of me during my leather jacket, spiked hair, punk rock emo days.”

Michael huffed a laugh at that, his body language thawing considerably. “You know, I probably do have photos of you in storage.”

“Oh god, if I buy you dinner can you promise you’ll never show that to anyone?” 

“Deal.”

When they parted ways Alex had Michael’s phone number and a smile on his face. 

\- 

His good mood didn’t last. By Monday his scowl was back as he read his emails.

He’d been expecting the Long deal to be negotiated remotely. It was an acquisition that his people had been working on for years, but the family’s matriarch decided she wanted more personal time with the people who were taking over one of her companies. Specifically, during the fundraiser she was throwing that week.

If it was just them, Alex wouldn’t have thought twice about the invite. Josephine Long was strong-willed, but level-headed. She came from generations of ranchers, had turned a family-owned business into a veritable empire. The company she was selling had fallen into her lap completely by happenstance and since she was a smart woman who knew her limitations, selling had been the wisest choice. 

Josephine wasn’t the problem. Alex  _ liked _ Josephine. It was her son, Wyatt, Alex couldn’t stand. 

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose hating that Kyle wouldn’t be there as a buffer. It was fine. It was one night. Then the Longs would go back to New Mexico, and he’d hopefully never have to see them again. 

His phone lit up with an incoming message and his brain likewise lit up with an idea when he saw who it was. 

“Guerin, how long were you planning to be in New York?” Alex asked as soon as Michael picked up the call.

“A week give or take. Why?” 

“How do you feel about me keeping you on retainer?” 

He could hear Michael’s grin over the phone. “You wanna Pretty Woman me up?”

“Hardly,” Alex said wryly. “But I do have a couple of events and parties. Dragging you along might make it more bearable.” 

“Wow, Manes. You’ve swept me off my feet,” Michael drawled sarcastically. “With a proposal like that, how can I  _ possibly _ say no?”

\- 


	2. Chapter 2

“Oh,  _ come on  _ this is straight out of the movie.” 

Michael had woken up that morning thinking the call he’d gotten from Alex was some sort of fever dream. In fact, everything that happened to him so far was like some drug induced hallucination — picking up someone solely because they reminded him of Alex, finding out the dude actually  _ was _ Alex, Alex turning out to be some kind of high-powered businessman, and finally this.

They were at a place called W Designs getting Michael fitted for a new suit. A place that Michael  _ definitely _ would have been turned away from if it wasn’t for his own personal Richard Gere. 

“It’s not going to be like the movie because we’re not going to make a scene. It’s  _ one _ suit.” Alex said from where he was typing away on his laptop, unconcerned at the possibility Michael could be mauled by tiny, stabby pins. 

One of the tailors started on the fabric near his groin and Michael eyed the sharp points warily as she worked. Assured that she wasn’t going to mangle the tools of his trade, he looked back at Alex. “Right, like you’d let me walk around with you in cowboy boots and a battered jean jacket.”

“Everything else we can get online,” Alex said, finally looking up and waving his phone at Michael. “It’s not the 80’s.” 

Michael grinned. “What can I say? I relate to the curly-haired vixen who ends up with a smoakin’ sugar daddy.” 

There was an undignified snort from one of the tailors who was obviously trying hard not to laugh. 

“We’re the same age,” Alex pointed out with an eye roll. “That doesn’t make sense.” 

“You gonna spank me, daddy?” Michael winked.

An embarrassed flush spread over Alex’s cheeks even as he glowered at Michael. It was a look he’d received a hundred times before and apparently it didn’t matter if Alex was wearing black nail polish or black leather shoes he was still adorable when he was annoyed.

“Call me that again and I’m putting pink hair dye in your shampoo,” Alex threatened.

“Sure, if you’d like a cloud of cotton candy as your date.” Michael narrowed his eyes suspiciously when he saw that Alex was still staring at his hair thoughtfully. “What?”

“You could use a cut.”

Michael made a face, but shrugged, resigned to his fate. “Fine. Nothing too short.” 

\- 

At the end of Michael’s make-over montage he had on an entirely new outfit, his hair and beard had been trimmed to non-hobo levels and Alex had asked his assistant to order a shit load of stuff that she promised would be at the penthouse by the time Alex got back. She also informed Alex that he’d better get her an expensive gift on top of her generous bonus since she had to field complaints all day because of his sudden schedule change.

“That’s literally your job,” Alex said flatly.

“Which I do phenomenally but you ruined my meticulous schedule because you’re out on a  _ Tuesday _ for a  _ shopping spree  _ in the middle of an  _ acquisition _ . What the hell is going on?” Michael heard the woman say through the phone. They’d stopped at a restaurant for a late lunch and in between getting their orders in and asking for the check Alex had received four calls from her. “If you’ve been kidnapped just say  _ ‘I believe in Santa Claus’ _ or something equally absurd so I know to call the cops.”

“Oh my God! I’m fine. Thanks for the help,” Alex said, ending the call abruptly. He scowled at the amused look Michael was giving him. “Cam’s lucky she’s irreplaceable or else I’d have fired her for being a nosy, insubordinate, know-it-all.”

Michael had known this corporate hotshot Alex for all of three days, but he had a feeling there weren’t a lot of people who could bust his balls. Apparently this Cam was one of them.

“I bet your assistant and Isobel would get along,” Michael said with a laugh. 

”How are Isobel and Max?” Alex asked as he settled the bill.

“They’re great. Isobel is practically running the town, she’s a PR consultant for the tourism board, but she makes everyone do her bidding anyway. Max is still writing broodily, working on a new novel for his series.”

Alex winced sheepishly. “I started reading the first book, but I couldn’t finish. Knowing it was inspired by our childhood was... unsettling.”

Michael nodded, his curls bouncing with how hard he agreed. “ _ Exactly _ . They both think I’m being weird. Isobel wants to create a tour based on the books, but I told her there’s no way I’m dragging out all of mom’s Christmas decorations for a bunch of tourists.”

“Your house did have the best decor for years. I’m glad that memory’s preserved in Max’s books,” Alex said, his lips curling in a small smile and Michael could just read the hint of sadness in his eyes. He knew it had killed Alex to miss Nora’s funeral, but it wasn’t like the air force granted bereavement leaves for the person who’d practically taken care of you because your mom had divorced her husband then disappeared and your dad was a heartless, abusive monster.

Michael had been in awe then, and he was still in awe now, of how kind and soft-hearted Alex was despite growing up like that. They didn’t have much, but Nora had made sure to let Michael know he was loved. Aside from Max and Isobel she had been the only one and having to watch her get sicker and sicker had killed a lot of the joy Michael felt about the world at large.

“I’ve been honoring my mom’s love for the holiday by visiting the cheesiest celebrations I can find. Makes for a lot less cleaning. Besides, I’ve sublet the house to Sanders and that crotchety old man wouldn’t know Christmas cheer if it bit him in the ass.” Michael gave Alex a shit-eating grin. “He kinda reminds me of you.”

Alex threw a left over crouton at him, laughing when it lodged itself into his newly groomed curls. “You make me sound like the Grinch. I don’t  _ hate _ Christmas. I just don’t love it as much as you do.”

“Admit it, you’re a homemade Santa suit away from stealing gifts,” Michael teased.

When Alex tossed another crouton at him, Michael was ready and easily caught it in his mouth, munching triumphantly.

“Crap. That reminds me. I still haven’t gotten a gift for Kyle,” Alex said as they stood to go. “You know him, right?”

Michael wracked his mind for a Kyle as he followed Alex out. It didn’t hit him until they were on the street, shock making him stop in his tracks causing a pedestrian to curse at him loudly.

“Wait. _Kyle_ _Valenti?_ ” 

-

They found a kitschy 6-inch cactus wearing a football helmet for Kyle who Michael still couldn’t believe Alex now considered his best friend.

“He was a homophobic neanderthal!”

“He was,” Alex agreed, as he paid for the gift.

“He bullied you all through high school!”

“He did,” Alex agreed, as he nodded to the cashier when she offered to wrap it for him.

Alex’s nonchalance just made Michael even more confused and angry. He’d spent most of his life wishing hell on Valenti precisely because of how he treated Alex and here was Alex all forgiving and compassionate like a sexy, gay version of Mother Theresa.

Michael was still fuming when they left the store and Alex pulled him towards a new one. 

“Are you in love with him?” he demanded in the middle of being forced to try another couple different outfits. He was so distracted by Alex’s Valenti bombshell that he’d forgotten to give Alex crap about promising they wouldn’t have to do any actual shopping.

Alex stopped his search through a display of scarves to look at Michael incredulously. “What?”

“Like some form of delayed Stockholm syndrome.”

With an exasperated shake of his head, Alex looped the scarf he was holding around Michael’s neck. It was nice and soft and Michael forced himself not to think about the price tag because so far all it’s caused him was extreme heartburn.

“No,” Alex said firmly. “Kyle’s like my brother. Only better because we’re not actually related. High school was a long time ago. He’s a different person now.  _ We’re _ different people now.”

Michael made a face. “Yeah, but he’s  _ Valenti _ .”

Alex pulled on the scarf until Michael was pressed against him, a hand finding its way underneath Michael’s coat and resting on his hip. “How about we stop talking about Kyle and go back to my place instead? You can try on your new clothes,” he leaned in, whispering in Michael’s ear, “I can help you remove them.”

The low timbre of Alex’s voice caused a shiver to run through Michael’s body. All thoughts of price tags and Valenti disappeared from his mind. Replaced with an intense gratitude that Alex was loaded and therefore had a limo and a driver who could be discreet while Michael straddled his boss in the backseat.

They were making out, eagerly and messily, probably unlike the kind of making out that teenage Michael would have loved to have done with teenage Alex if he hadn’t been such a fucking coward. Alex’s hands gripped his ass tight as they kissed, rocking up and taking Michael along for the ride.

“This is supposed to be a pre-game not the actual show,” Michael groaned when they finally came up for air.

“For someone who does this professionally you always seem quick on the trigger,” Alex said more than a little smug.

In retaliation, Michael slipped his hands under Alex’s shirt, blunt nails raking against his chest and teasing the buds of Alex’s nipples with his thumbs until Alex was panting into Michael’s mouth.

“God, you’re such an asshole.”

“Bet you’d want that,” Michael murmured hotly against Alex’s lips as his hands traveled lower. “You’d finger me open, slide right in, my ass just begging for something to fill it.”

“I take it back you’re not an asshole, you’re a menace,” Alex said, nipping at Michael’s bottom lip.

Thankfully they reached Alex’s floor without embarrassing themselves too much. The doorman had taken one look at Michael’s untucked shirt and the mess that was Alex’s hair and schooled his features into polite disinterest, only cracking at the edges when Michael threw him a jaunty wink before they headed inside.

“Are they going to throw you out if I blew you in the elevator?” Michael asked, his hands already unbuckling Alex’s belt.

“Probably not,” Alex gasped, his breath hot against Michael’s skin, “but I’d rather you fuck me into the mattress.”

The mental image of Alex laid out in front of him, his ass bared to Michael, wiped out the two remaining brain cells clanging around in his head.

“Yeah,” Michael breathed out. “Okay. That. Let’s do that.”

The elevator doors opened and Michael was ready to rush Alex into the bedroom when he saw the actual sea of shopping bags that had taken over the foyer.

“Holy shit.” Michael looked from the bags to Alex. “What did you tell Cam just get one of each item from each store?”

Alex grimaced. “More like one of each color? I may have gone overboard.”

Michael picked up bags to make a path for them. “Fucking hell, Alex, I’m won’t be able to wear all of this.”

“Well, I did say I wanted to watch you try them on and then help you remove them. Maybe we start with the ones you’re wearing now,” Alex said, as he slowly unbuttoned Michael’s shirt.

Michael froze, suddenly and desperately uninterested in anything but Alex and a bed. “Sex and then fashion show?”

Alex nodded eagerly, tossing the bags to the side before pulling a laughing Michael into the bedroom.

-

The first event Alex dragged Michael to was excruciating.

The second one taught Michael the limits of his pain threshold.

By the third one Michael was starting to wonder why rich people seemed to be allergic to any kind of fun.

“Oh my god, is everything you do this boring?” Michael hissed as they sat through the fifth speech of the Something Something Gala for Something or Other.

“Stop it,” Alex whispered back, smiling politely when one of the people they were sitting with gave them a dirty look. “You’re going to get us in trouble.”

“I’m beginning to understand why you like working so much if this is the alternative.”

“ _ Shhh _ .”

Michael sighed, downing the rest of his bourbon. So far they’d gone to a gallery opening (which, okay, was passably interesting), an awarding ceremony for a hackathon (only interesting because Alex presented one of the awards. No one even hacked the awards to make sure they’d win) and now this snoozefest.

Honestly, he wouldn’t bother Alex if he was the guest of honor or was giving a speech, but even Alex had said this one wasn’t all that important therefore, Alex was just torturing them both by choice.

Trying his luck one last time, Michael leaned towards Alex. “Seriously, if you want to stay I’ll shut up, but I’m not above faking a medical emergency to get us out of here. Remember I faked an asthma attack that got me out of gym for a year.”

Michael knew he had him, when Alex covered his mouth with his napkin to stifle his laughter which only got worse when Michael started making low gasping and wheezing sounds.

“I’m sorry, if you’ll excuse us, my date isn’t feeling well,” Alex said to the rest of the table in a low voice, as he pretended to help Michael to his feet.

Michael nodded, exaggerating the gasping and the wheezing and making Alex crack up even more.

“Stop,” Alex choked out, still trying not to burst out laughing as they made their way out of the ballroom as discreetly as possible, “You are a  _ terrible _ date.”

“Maybe, but I’m an excellent partner in crime.”

-

“When was the last time you had burgers,” Michael asked through a mouthful of the best sandwich he’s ever had. Stopping at the first place that didn’t require cutlery was a genius idea. An idea that was only possible because he saved them from dying of boredom.

“Yesterday for lunch. I’ve been too busy to have a life, I wasn’t locked away in an ivory tower,” Alex said,  _ after _ he’d swallowed his bite of food because he was a better man than Michael and Michael had no problem admitting that.

“Ever think about leaving all this behind?”

“Every day during the first couple of years,” Alex confessed. “Then I got good at it. Then actually started liking it. There are a lot of kinks we still need to fix, some businesses I’d rather not be operating, but we’re getting there. I want to make The Manes Group something I’m proud to be leading and not something my dad didn’t mean to dump into my lap.”

“Is that what you say in all those fancy interviews?” Michael teased, as he tried to remove an offending pickle from his sandwich.

“No. What they want to hear is my vision for growth and innovation. They don’t want to hear about improving worker conditions, making sure that we provide a livable wage and sufficient health care. That kind of thing doesn’t make headlines,” Alex said with a shrug, but Michael knew from the crease on his forehead that it bothered him.

Screw not talking with your mouth full, Alex was a better man than Michael because if  _ he’d _ been given a billion dollars he’d have bought himself a couple of islands and never spoken to anyone ever again. Alex may be older and hotter and filled out a suit better than anyone had any right to, but he was still the Alex that Michael had grown up with and cared about. He was still the Alex whose dad tried to change who he was, tried to beat the kindness out of him, but Alex had said _ ‘I’m going to keep believing in the inherent goodness of people, so fuck you very much, dad’ _ .

Michael had accepted the offer because it was a good gig and the time he’d spent with Alex had felt like rekindling a relationship with an old friend. What he didn’t expect was the sudden surge of affection that threatened to knock him to the ground.

Misreading Michael’s silence, Alex gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m probably boring you.” 

“No, it’s just— you’re amazing,” Michael said, honestly.

It was such a simple truth, but Alex’s face absolutely glowed with it.

Michael grinned, resolutely ignoring the ball of warmth that was blooming underneath his ribcage.

-

_ “ _ You’ve been _ what  _ by _ who?”  _ Isobel asked practically falling off-frame as she cackled. 

“Do you prefer the term gainfully employed? Because I am. I have a company issued tablet and phone too,” Michael said, showing off the phone he’d gotten with all of the other things Cam ordered.

His new toys were the reason he’d been able to do a video call with Isobel as opposed to his once a week check-in phone call — a commitment he’d made to save him from a freaked out Isobel thinking he'd been murdered by a hitchhiker. That Max was also at her place was just a happy coincidence.

“This is so unfair,” Isobel whined. “I’m the one who wanted to be part of The Real Housewives of Roswell. I wonder if it’s too late for a career change?” 

“Mom and Dad would disown you,” Max shouted from the other room.

“Not to mention you’re not exactly Alex’s type,” Michael added.

Isobel dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand. “I’m sure he has friends.”

Michael thought about Valenti, his face souring. “That’s  _ not _ gonna happen.”

The sound of Max’s voice came from the other room again, but it was too muffled for Michael to hear. Isobel on the other hand understood perfectly judging from her amused expression.

“What?” Michael asked. “Tell him to stop yelling and come here.”

“He’s writing so we’re not allowed to disturb the  _ creative process _ ,” Isobel said, lowering her voice to mimic Max, “but he wants to make sure you’re not going to be a drunk disaster after all this since you were basically in love with your sugar daddy all through high school.”

“I was not,” Michael pouted.

He totally was.

“You totally were,” Isobel said with an all-knowing look. “Seriously, are you sure about what you’re doing?”

The thing was, Michael, who had probed and analyzed and dissected the unexpected fondness he’d developed for his former friend and current client, had come to the conclusion that he simply did not want to think about it. 

It wasn’t like he was lying to himself. He’d slept with plenty of people, fuck, he’d slept with a  _ lot _ of people and he freely acknowledged that he’d never slept with anyone he liked as much as he liked Alex. All he was doing was refusing to recognize that at some point in the near future, he might need an indeterminate amount of time to mourn the end of their arrangement.

Not that he was thinking about any of it _ at all. _

“You’re looking pensive. This is concerning. I’m concerned,” Isobel declared. “Should I get my guest bedroom ready for your inevitable downward spiral?”

“Shut up,” Michael grumbled. Maybe video calls weren’t so great, at least with phone calls he could crumple a bag of chips over the receiver and pretend Iz was breaking up.

“I just want to be prepared. I have a lot of boxes in there.”

“I’m fine,” Michael assured her. “We’re both having fun. I’m getting laid  _ and _ getting paid. It’s fine. Everything’s fine.”

-

Everything was not fine.

Michael knew the event was black tie. He’d put on the pants, figured out how to move in the vest and jacket without feeling like he was on his way to senior prom, he’d even watched a YouTube tutorial on how to fix his bowtie.

What he didn’t prepare for was how jaw-droppingly, cartoon-eye-poppingly attractive Alex would look like in a damn tux.

He’d seen Alex in business suits that spoke to every authority kink Michael had. He’d seen him in casual dress shirts, sleeves rolled up to his forearms that made Michael want to lick him all over, but this was beyond all that. This was James Bond Double O for Orgasms type shit.

“I knew you’d clean up nice,” Alex said, smiling beautifully and frying Michael’s circuits even more. That he’d moved close to fix Michael’s bowtie wasn’t helping matters any. “You ready?”

“ _ Uhrng _ .” Michael wasn’t sure what that sound even meant, but if that was all his brain was willing to provide then so be it.

Alex gave him a worried look that helped snap Michael out of his horny fugue state.

“Yes, I’m good,” Michael assured, shaking his head to clear it further. “Is there anything you need me to do? Pretend I’m the heir of some oil tycoon? A long lost Russian prince?”

“Just be yourself.” Alex brushed the backs of his fingers against the lapels of Michael’s tux and added with a wink, “Maybe drag me into a bathroom stall for a sanity break if necessary.”

He was 40% sure Alex was kidding and 500% hoping he wasn’t.

-

At the fifty minute mark, Michael didn’t care if Alex was kidding, he was dragging him into that bathroom stall and sucking his dick and all that tension out of him. He knew Alex had been stressing over this deal, had made sure to melt into the background unless Alex was the one looking for attention, but seeing Alex like this, the rigid set of his shoulders intensifying with every passing minute was a nightmare to watch.

To top it all off, the bigwig Alex was supposed to meet wasn’t even there.

“So about that bathroom stall idea?” Michael asked, his voice low, leaning into Alex’s space so that his side was pressed up against his in a small show of comfort.

Alex chuckled tiredly. “Don’t tempt me. I’m giving it another half hour. If she doesn’t show up, we’re out of here.”

“Thirty minutes,” Michael repeated. “We can do this. In the meantime, I’ll go get us another drink. It’ll at least make the time go faster.”

He moved to get Alex’s glass, but Alex shifted so that a gentle hand was on Michael’s hip, keeping him in place.

“Thank you. I honestly don’t know if I’d have survived the last week without you,” Alex said, giving him a grateful smile before pressing a kiss to Michael’s lips, soft and quick like it was nothing at all. Like a kiss couples shared all the time.

Michael swallowed, pushing down every confusing emotion that was suddenly raging inside him. “I told you, customer satisfaction guaranteed.”

“I’ll hold you to that when we get home,” Alex said, this time with a smirk.

It wasn’t until he’d reached the bar that Michael released the breath he was holding. 

Shit. Isobel and Max were right. Hook ups and random clients were great.  _ This _ was him being a masochistic fool that was sure to get his heart mangled.

The bartender gave him two glasses and Michael downed one before asking for another.

Alex wasn’t just out of his league. Alex was on another planet. Another galaxy. If he hadn’t mustered up the courage to ask Alex out when they were in high school how was he supposed to do that now?

It was hopeless and stupid and,  _ fuck _ , he might be the the kind of bastard who could walk out and disappear into the sunset for no reason, but he couldn’t do that. 

Not to Alex.

Okay, maybe it’ll be fine. This was supposed to be the big event that required his presence, but if the woman Alex was supposed to meet didn’t show up that meant they’d have to reschedule, which meant he had a few more days with Alex. At least he could give Isobel a heads up so she could move those boxes.

Michael took a steadying breath before he grabbed their glasses. He headed to where he’d left Alex only to have his breath punched right back out when he saw him.

All the tension Alex had been holding was gone, his eyes crinkled at the corners as he shared a laugh with a stocky man in an expensive suit, blue highlights dominating his hair.

The man touched Alex’s arm with a comfortable familiarity and all at once Michael’s collar felt too stiff, his vest too tight, his skin prickly and warm. It all coalesced into a heavy weight on his chest that he unfortunately was self-aware enough to define — pure good old fashioned jealousy.

With another deep, fortifying breath, Michael walked up to Alex and handed him his drink. If he made a show of placing his hand in the small of Alex’s back to get his attention, well it wasn’t his fault that Alex leaned into his touch.

“Michael, I’d like you to meet an old friend, Forrest,” Alex said. “His aunt was the person I was supposed to meet tonight but per plane’s been grounded in Texas.”

Michael shook the man’s hand, giving him a clipped smile, before asking Alex in a low, intimate tone. “Does that mean we’re going? You said you had that early meeting.”

It was a gamble since they hadn’t discussed that particular exit strategy, but Michael was gratified to see that Alex was happy to grab the opportunity.

“Right,” Alex said lying smoothly, “I do have a full day tomorrow, but I wanted to make the effort of stopping by. I know her charity work is important to Jospehine.”

“I understand. Don’t let me keep you,” Forrest said, his smile directed entirely at Alex. 

Michael didn’t know if he wanted to wipe the smile off the guy’s face or commiserate at how obviously infatuated he was. With the way that Alex was smiling back at him, maybe challenging the man to a duel wasn’t out of the question.

“I’d love to grab lunch this week though?” Forrest continued. “I’m working with an organization that helps people get back on their feet by offering tech courses. Poor souls who were forced to sell drugs or their bodies just to get by, but are trying to turn their life around.”

That settled it. Michael was waiting for this guy behind a dumpster in a dark alley.

Michael, of course, didn’t do anything of the sort.

Instead he kept his mouth shut as Alex fawned over the good work Forrest was doing, he kept his mouth shut as Alex checked his schedule for their lunch date and confirmed for Monday, in fact he kept his mouth shut the whole ride back to the apartment despite Alex’s frustrated efforts to start a conversation.

Alex finally snapped when they got on the elevator. “Okay what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Michael said, glaring at the elevator’s floor display as if it had offended him personally.

“I don’t speak Guerin anymore, so you’ll need to use actual words.”

The elevator doors opened and Michael stalked towards the bedroom, loosening his tie as he went. A ballsy move considering it wasn’t his place. It didn’t seem to phase Alex who followed him and leaned against the doorframe as if watching Michael throw a tantrum was a completely normal part of his life.

It only served to piss Michael off even more.

“I didn’t want to get in the way in case you and Forrest wanted to make more plans,” Michael growled. “If you ask me, that guy was more interested in forging a relationship with you than with your company.”

“Is that what this is about? I don’t mix business with pleasure.”

Michael raised his eyebrows, gesturing angrily between the two of them.

“My business with you hinges on our mutual pleasure,” Alex snapped. “And that can’t happen if you’re acting like a jealous brat.”

An embarrassed flush engulfed Michael’s whole face which he firmly, stubbornly ignored. He crossed his arms tight and turned away from Alex. “I thought you didn’t speak Guerin anymore.”

With a heavy sigh, Alex moved towards Michael. Slowly, like he was trying to soothe a belligerent cat, he turned Michael so he was facing him again.

“I thought so too. Then you mentioned Forrest and I remembered you never liked sharing. Not me or Max or Isobel or your mom. I was surprised you didn’t try to cut me off completely when she and I started getting close.”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure she would have chosen me over you,” Michael grumbled.

“Nothing is happening between me and Forrest,” Alex insisted. “I want to put this behind me before the year ends.”

_ And after?  _ Michael wanted to ask.  _ After your it’s all done and our arrangement is over? _

Instead he said, “What Forrest said about poor souls selling their bodies—“

“Guerin,” Alex interrupted, placing his hands on the side of Michael’s neck, thumbs gently sweeping the line of his jaw. “He wasn’t referring to you.”

“But is that what  _ you _ think?” Michael demanded. “That I’m just some lost lamb who had no choice but to whore himself out? That this isn’t a job? Because there are a million things I’m skilled at, and sex work is one way I use those skills.”

Alex’s hands slid down to Michael’s shoulders, then to the small of his back, bracketing Michael in with his arms as if Alex was afraid he was going to go stomping away.

His eyebrows knitted together in thought, then Alex said, “When I was younger, maybe? I would have been more judgmental. I might have been patronizing and offered you a job, but you’ve proven that you can take care of yourself. Forrest was talking about people who can’t and I  _ know _ that’s not you. You’re too stubborn to let anything happen to you without fighting back.”

Michael scoffed half-heartedly, his anger draining the longer Alex’s arms were around him. “You’re one to talk. We’re two horseshoes from the same jackass.”

“I always thought ‘ _ we were made from the same stardust’  _ was poetic, but the jackass thing that’s a real winner.”

“ _ You’re _ a jackass,” Michael grumbled childishly.

Alex laughed, cupping Michael’s cheek to press their lips together in that same soft kiss he’d given him earlier, but this time Alex didn’t stop, kissing Michael sweetly and gently until it felt like Michael’s entire universe was spinning on its axis. His heart was going to burst out of his chest and Michael couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled away, gasping for air that had nothing to do with the kiss.

Oblivious to the nebulous state of Michael’s heart, Alex sighed tiredly resting his forehead on Michael’s. “As much as James Bond roleplay is all I can think about with you in that outfit, I am so wiped I could just stay here and hold you until we both fall asleep.”

“Absolutely, but maybe horizontally and with less clothes,” Michael suggested, pushing Alex towards the bed.

They crawled under the sheets, Alex’s arms wrapping around Michael, his naked chest flush against his back. So close that the beat of Alex’s heart was what eventually lulled him to sleep.

Alex wasn’t his to keep, not by a long shot, but at that moment, he was there. That had to be enough.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating this every two days so don't kill me yet!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is late, but heyo this one's 6.5k words so I hope that makes up for it.

Alex, who’d worked himself to exhaustion during the first couple of years running the company, who’d gotten an MBA while working full time, had worked weekends and holidays and all-nighters just so he could serve his employees in the best way possible, suddenly found himself unwilling to get out of bed that morning, abusing his alarm’s snooze button until Michael threatened to throw his phone out the window.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go. It was more like there was a sleep-warm, deliciously naked Michael in his bed and between that and having to work on a Saturday Alex vastly preferred the cuddling.

Unfortunately, the deadline they needed to meet for the Longs meant weekends like this one — meeting department heads to go through every agreement and contract he’d eventually sign. So as tempting as it was to spend a lazy morning in bed with Michael, he’d forced himself out the door hoping that they could go through their tasks for the day quickly.

It wasn’t lost on him that the deal he was rushing to close would also mean the end of his arrangement with Michael.

Alex blew out a breath remembering the fight they’d had the night before. He wasn’t obtuse, he was aware they were at the precipice of something. He knew that if they weren’t careful they’d start rolling down a slippery slope, and while Alex didn’t particularly mind the fall, he’d rather they tip over with a plan rather than careen wildy downhill. 

He’d spent most of his life hiding or running away, but having to step up and lead gave him clarity about the things that were worth fighting for.

Michael was worth fighting for.

He just  _ really _ needed to close this deal. Then he’d have time to consider more with him.

Alex had barely started on the first pile of documents when his phone vibrated with a call.

“What are you doing?” Kyle demanded as soon as Alex answered.

“Working,” Alex said distractedly as he shuffled some papers around. “I got in early so the others aren’t here yet. Do you know if the SLAs have been finalized. I remember operations weren't happy with them. And weren’t you on a flight to Beijing?”

“The SLAs are being edited, ops signed off on the changes, the meetings got cancelled so I’m coming back early,” Kyle rattled off, “but that’s not why I called.  _ Guerin _ . I’ve been gone for a week and suddenly you’re dating someone?”

That got Alex’s attention.

He straightened, despite knowing Kyle can’t see him and said defensively, “We’re not in middle school. I’m not required to call you the minute a cute boy asks me out.”

The truth was, Alex had been avoiding talking to Kyle about it because 1.) There really wasn’t an easy way to say, ‘ _Hey, so I picked up an escort to literally escort me to events and it just so happened he’s someone we both grew up with’_ , 2.) Kyle knew him better than anyone and would see through Alex’s bullshit in a heartbeat, and 3.) Telling Kyle would mean explaining why Alex had done something that could jeopardize his reputation, jeopardize his company and — because Kyle actually was a good friend despite his brief devolution into brainless jock — jeopardize his heart.

Besides Kyle was literally half way across the globe. He wasn’t  _ supposed _ to be around to be Alex’s voice of reason. He also wasn’t supposed to know about Guerin in the first place.

“Wait, how did you—” Alex started. Then it hit him.

“Cam,” they said at the same time.

“I really am going to fire her.” They both knew he wouldn’t, but sometimes it was nice to fantasize.

“Alex, you need to listen to me,” Kyle said, his tone brooking no argument. “Guerin is bad news. I know you don’t keep in touch with anyone from Roswell, but people talk and he’s—” 

“A sex worker,” Alex finished. “I  _ know _ . Guerin and I have an arrangement.” 

Kyle made a furious noise. “As your lawyer, I’m drafting a contract.”

“No,” Alex said, firmly.

“Yes,” Kyle pushed back just as stubbornly. “Protecting you and  _ your company  _ is my job. I can talk to him if that would be easier.”

“No, that would  _ not _ be easier,” Alex said, kneading the bridge of his nose with his fingertips. There wasn’t enough caffeine in his bloodstream for this conversation. “I’ll do it.”

There was a pause then Kyle asked, “Are you sure about what you’re doing?” 

“Yes. It’s Guerin. He’s not committing business espionage and plotting a hostile takeover.” 

Kyle scoffed. “It’s not just your business I’m worried about, dude. I remember how you used to look at him. I know because I bullied you mercilessly for it.”

God, Alex remembered that. It had been unbearable and had caused a rift between him and Michael for weeks until they decided fuck it, they weren’t going to let Valenti ruin their friendship. He wondered now if he and Michael would have eventually gotten together if Kyle hadn’t been such a dick.

“You were  _ such _ a dick,” Alex repeated the thought to Kyle.

“I totally was,” Kyle agreed instantly, making Alex smile. He really did come a long way from high school.

Kyle wasn’t wrong. His feelings for Michael had never been exclusively friendly. He’d convinced himself that none of that was the reason he’d called Michael after that first night, but being with Michael felt right in a way his life hadn’t felt for a long time.

Alex paused then said quietly, “I’m not sure it’s  _ just _ a business arrangement anymore, Kyle.”

“A Christmas miracle!” he whooped like an asshole, even though Alex knew the sentiment was genuine. “When was the last time you dated anyone?”

“Do you really wanna go there?” he threatened. Between the two of them, Alex definitely had more ammunition on Kyle.

“Eyes on the prize, Manes,” Kyle said obnoxiously as if Alex was the one who’d derailed the conversation, “You have to prepare if you’re serious about this. It wouldn’t hurt to call Pepper.”

“I’m not a socialite!” Alex protested. “No one’s going to care who I’m dating.”

“You know as well as I do that your friendship with Barnes changed all of that.”

The people filtering into the meeting room were the only thing stopping Alex from hitting his head against the table. “I hate when you’re right.”

“Then you hate me all the time,” Kyle said cheerfully. “Talk to Pep. Then ask Cam to set a meeting with my team and your PR firm. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

Alex groaned internally, thinking about the uncomfortable series of conversations in his future.

The meeting started and with practiced ease, Alex pushed away everything else to focus on the task at hand. If he was going to discuss the fall out of being in a relationship with Michael, it would be ideal if he knew whether Michael  _ wanted _ to be in a relationship with him in the first place. Having that conversation would be easier without this deal hanging over his head.

Maybe.

God, he really hoped so.

-

Alex wanted to crawl into a hole and die by the time they’d finished. They’d read and reworded and detailed so many documents that it felt like his brain was dribbling out of his ears. That was why he’d already stripped off his coat and dropped off his laptop bag in the study before he registered that a heavenly smell was coming from the kitchen.

Curious, Alex followed the scent, watching amused as Michael danced around the room, using the spatula as a mic as he mouthed words to the song blasting through his earbuds so loud even Alex could hear it. 

Alex’s gaze turned appreciative when he noticed Michael was wearing a full apron, but with no shirt underneath just his sweatpants riding low on his hips so that the muscles of his arms and the hard planes of his back were exposed.

Forget whatever he was cooking, Michael himself was downright edible.

Not wanting to startle him and cause an accident, Alex waited until Michael was a safe distance from the pot before knocking loudly on the door frame.

Michael whirled around, two bright spots of red coloring his cheeks as he took out his earphones. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Somewhere between the wiggle your booty move and the shoulder shimmy.” Alex teased.

“Yeah, yeah,” Michael said, recovering and falling back into a cocky grin. “In this house you get dinner  _ and _ a show.”

Alex walked over to where Michael was fussing over a crockpot, a kitchen appliance Alex was pretty sure he’d never seen before. 

“Bought it from a bodega owner,” Michael explained at the questioning look Alex gave him. “He was going to throw it out cause his daughter fried the circuits, so I took it home and fixed it.”

“You fixed it,” Alex repeated in wonder. Everyone knew Michael was literally a genius, but the small ways it manifested was what blew Alex away.

“I kind of made a mess in your guest room, but I’ll clean it up.”

“Don’t worry about it. You can set up whatever you want in there.” Alex looked over at where the crockpot was still bubbling merrily. Chunks of meat were simmering in what looked like tomato sauce so he assumed it was some kind of stew. What it was exactly he wouldn’t be able to tell. “What is it?”

“A Sokovian dish my mom used to make every winter. She learned it from her grandma who claimed she learned it from a witch,” Michael shared, smiling at the memory. He grabbed a spoonful of the stew, blowing on it to cool before feeding it to Alex. 

“ _ Wow _ ,” Alex said, honestly. He didn’t have the vocabulary to compliment the dish the way it deserved, but he’d eaten at a lot of restaurants, places that had six month waiting lists and cost a small fortune and he’d choose Michael’s cooking over all that any day. 

“I started preparing when you left and it’s been simmering for hours. I just need to add the vegetables and let it cook a bit then we’re good for dinner.”

“I’m tempted to change industries and go into business with you,” Alex said as he walked over to the refrigerator to grab them some beers. 

“Thanks, but I’m happy doing this for people I love and not for a bunch of strangers. I mean—” There was a loud noise and Alex looked up to see Michael had dropped the ladle. Michael grimaced in Alex’s direction and then asked quickly, “So, um, how was your day?”

Alex handed him one of the bottles, his eyebrows knitting together when Michael took a nervous swig of his beer. It was such a sudden shift that Alex glanced at the pot wondering if he missed something.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, clumsy,” Michael said, not quite meeting Alex’s eyes as he moved a bunch of carrots from the sink to a chopping board. There were already red and green bell peppers sliced into strips on the counter, peas that had been shelled and a mound of potatoes. The only thing that remained intact were the carrots.

“My day was  _ not _ interesting. You wouldn’t want to hear about it, believe me.” Alex took a long drink from his beer before rolling up his sleeves and standing next to Michael. “Teach me how to chop those.”

Michael glanced over, then smirked, tugging Alex in front of him. “Okay.

He wrapped his arms around Alex and he was immediately overwhelmed with  _ Michael _ . Michael’s hard chest pressed against his back, breath hot against his nape, the smell of Alex’s body wash and shampoo that lingered on Michael mixing with a scent that always reminded Alex of rain.

It was cheesy and strangely erotic to have Michael guide his hand as they sliced the carrots together.

“Does anyone ever fall for these moves of yours?” Alex asked when they were down to the last one.

“I don’t know. I’ve never really tried.” Michael carefully put the knife aside, then turned Alex to face him, their breaths mingling in the scant space between them. “Why, is it working for you?”

The words were barely out of Michael’s lips before Alex was pulling him down for a kiss. Michael made a gruff, startled sound, but he quickly got with the program, kissing Alex back hungrily, all lips and teeth and tongue.

No matter how many times they’d kissed, it was like they fit naturally, their lips slotting together, bodies connecting like they were always meant to find each other. Heat unfurled inside Alex accompanied by a swell of emotion that lodged itself tight against his ribcage, heart racing as it tried to catch up.

His hands roamed, the muscles on Michael’s back bunching and flexing underneath Alex’s palms. His hands slipped lower, under the band of Michael’s pants and over the globes of his ass. A moan slipping from Alex’s mouth into Michael’s when Michael’s hips stuttered against Alex’s, chasing the delicious friction. 

With a tortured gasp, Michael pulled away, resting his forehead against Alex’s and breathing hard. “As overwhelmed as I am with the thought of you fucking me over the table in nothing but this apron, I spent the last eight hours making this meal for you. So if we could please wait patiently for dessert?”

“Since you asked so nicely,” Alex said sweetly. He still couldn’t help pulling Michael into a last kiss, dipping his tongue deep and wet into Michael’s mouth.

“You’re evil,” Michael groaned when they finally parted. “And hot. You’re evil and hot and I’m so into it.”

Alex laughed, his hands now safely on Michael’s hips instead of his ass. “You’re into everything.”

“As long as it’s with you,” Michael said with a wink.

Alex wasn’t sure what possessed him, but he leaned closer, looking Michael straight in the eye, and in a low voice murmured, “Good boy.”

Whatever horny spirit compelled him knew what it was doing. The effect on Michael was immediate, pupils blown wide, eyes dark with want as he gaped at Alex. 

Michael blinked a couple of times, then cleared his throat. “Yeah, okay, that’s— that’s definitely a kink.” He pushed Alex away gently, his forehead creasing like being physically apart from Alex was a hardship. “I’m going to finish this and you’re going to shower while I try like hell not to think of you soapy and naked.”

Taking pity on him, Alex took a step back then another before finally turning around and sauntering away knowing full well Michael’s eyes were glued to his ass.

-

Their delicious dinner and the enthusiastic round of dessert eased some of the tension in Alex’s shoulders, but predictably it didn’t help him sleep through the night. Neither sleep therapy or sleeping pills had helped. Or rather, Alex had foregone the pills because of an incident that involved a bag of quinoa, a large potted plant and him dragging both items from his place to Kyle’s in nothing but pajamas and mismatched shoes.

Certain that it would be a good couple of hours before he fell asleep again, Alex slid out of bed slowly and grabbed his crutches, careful not to wake Michael. If he wasn’t going to get any sleep, he might as well get some work done.

Alex settled on the couch with his tablet and a bunch of folders. Any other night he’d also be making coffee unconcerned if he fell back asleep or not, but on those nights all he had waiting was an empty bed instead of the snuffling snores and the seeking grasp of Michael’s hand around his waist.

In the short period of time since they found each other, it was like Alex’s entire life had shifted to accommodate Michael. He was everywhere. Lounging on the couch, taking over the kitchen. It had come to a point that Alex had stopped calling them  _ his _ and started calling them  _ theirs _ .

He smiled at that, letting the thought warm him as he worked. The idea of Michael and permanence playing at the edges of his mind while his vision blurred with charts and spreadsheets.

An hour into it, Alex turned around when he heard Michael’s sleep rough voice saying his name.

“Do you ever sleep?” Michael asked. He shuffle-groaned towards the couch, face planting next to Alex so that his mess of curls was practically lodged under Alex’s thigh.

“You should go back, I’ll be done soon.”

“No,” Michael replied, his voice muffled by the couch. “Since I got here the only time you stay in bed the entire night is when we have sex between your naps. Cause that’s what they are, Manes.” He raised his head to glare at Alex. “ _ Naps _ .”

Alex plucked a throw pillow from the adjacent chair and placed it under Michael’s head who sighed happily now that he wasn’t suffocating.

“Is it because you aren’t used to sleeping with someone?” Michael asked. “Cause I can sleep in your guest bedroom.”

“No,” Alex said, “My sleeping patterns have been fucked since Baghdad. I used to write music at night, but now I work.”

Michael wrinkled his nose at the mess of papers. “Why is this deal so important anyway?”

Alex gently carded his fingers through Michael’s hair as he thought of how to answer that. He had no doubt Kyle would move heaven and earth to get him out of jail if necessary, but he’d rather not take his chances with a government non-disclosure agreement.

“One of our company’s biggest contracts is with the military,” Alex said, making sure to phrase it as generically as possible. “They use our products in a way I don’t agree with, but losing that contract would mean massive layoffs. The new company I’m acquiring will let me move most of them over and hopefully that means letting go of the contract.”

Michael raised an eyebrow at him. “You were in the air force. You worked for them.”

“Nothing makes you realize the effects of your government’s actions than seeing it first hand,” Alex said, bitterly.

There was a beat as Michael just stared at him, a look Alex couldn’t place in his eyes, before he sat up and took a deep breath.

“You should make me sign Valenti’s contract,” Michael blurted out, “I was talking to Cam—”

Alex spluttered angrily. He wasn’t just going to fire Cam. He was going to  _ kill _ her.

“—and she told me about it,” he raised a hand when Alex opened his mouth to interrupt. “She told me because she was afraid you weren’t going to do it and they’re right. It’ll protect you and it’s no different from the contract Cam signed when you hired her for the job.”

“You know I remember you being a lot more irrational and angry,” Alex huffed, betrayed by how calm Michael was being. He didn’t even know how Cam knew about it, unless Kyle told her in which case he was going to kill them both.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Michael said. “I fought her on it at first. Told her it wasn’t any of her business, but she yelled some sense into me. She’s really good at that. And she and Valenti care about you.”

Alex goggled at him. “Am I hearing this correctly? You agree with Kyle?”

“I agreed with  _ Cam _ ,” Michael glanced around the living room, “who also said you should think about a Christmas tree. Maybe some lights. Or candles. A bare fireplace mantle is just wrong.”

“Is that Cam talking or you?” Alex asked as he grabbed the remote and turned on the fireplace. The mantle was still bare, but Michael looked happy enough to at least have a fire going.

“You should work in bed so I don’t have to follow you out here,” Michael said with a yawn. He flopped back down on his stomach, wiggling so the top of his head was once again snug against Alex’s thigh.

“ _ You _ can just stay in bed and not follow me here,” Alex pointed out, but Michael started fake snoring at him loudly.

Accepting defeat, Alex settled back with his tablet, his fingers finding their way into Michael’s hair as he read.

It was another hour before his eyelids were weighed down with the need to sleep, but by then Michael looked so peaceful Alex was reluctant to wake him. It was an easy decision to just slip down next to Michael, thanking whichever interior designer chose the enormous couch that dominated the living room.

Michael mumbled happily, his arms going around Alex and pulling him snug against his chest. 

Alex didn’t have any trouble falling asleep after that.

-

Monday morning was vastly different from how their weekend went. Alex woke up to a prickly Michael, first seemingly annoyed that Alex had to leave early, then annoyed that Alex was still at home, until he finally just hid out in the guest bedroom where he’d set up a small working space.

Alex didn’t have time to decipher his mood, nor did he have time to think about it for the rest of his morning. It was one of those days when the start of the week didn’t just hit the ground running, it was in a full on sprint.

He also had no idea what was happening when Cam walked into his office a skeptical look on her face. 

“What is this?” she demanded, shaking a wrapped box at him.

“That’s a gift,” Alex said, dumbly. He’d just come from three back to back meetings so it was possible he’d lost the ability to form a coherent thought.

“It’s a gift from you,” Cam clarified. “Who are you and what did you do to my boss?”

“I’ve given you gifts before,” Alex defended himself as he sat down at his desk for the first time all morning. He clicked through his emails quickly making sure there was nothing urgent.

“ _ No,”  _ she said, closing the glass door to his office which she only did when something important was happening or their conversation was about to turn informal. Apparently Cam still wasn’t over the gift.  _ “ _ You’ve given me expensive crap in those impersonal branded bags that everyone else loves because it’s a subtle way to brag about the expensive gift they got. This is a  _ gift  _ gift. A gift wrapped in  _ gift wrapping paper _ .”

“All your gifts are coming from the dollar store from now on,” Alex declared. “Leave me alone, I’m trying to get some work done.”

Sadly for Alex, instead of Cam leaving Kyle decided to join the fun.

“What’s going on?” he asked, closing the door behind him. “Is there a big secret?”

“If there  _ was, _ everyone would know something was wrong because they can see you going crazy through the glass,” Alex said, motioning to where more than one person passing by had glanced at his office curiously.

“He gave this to me!” Cam shook the box in Kyle’s direction and Alex was glad they hadn’t picked out something fragile for her.

Kyle turned to Alex, his brown eyes hurt and betrayed like Alex had just invited Cam into their clubhouse without telling him. “What? You gave  _ her _ a gift?”

“Oh my god,” Alex exclaimed, grabbing the other gift from under his desk and handing it to Kyle. “Yours is over here.”

The smile on Kyle’s face was reminiscent of a kid’s on Christmas morning, but just like a kid spotting a price tag on a Santa gift, his expression turned suspicious. “Okay, who are you and what did you do to my best friend?”

“That’s what I said!” Cam said. “Apparently Guerin has magic Christmas dick.”

Alex made a frustrated noise and tried to grab the gift back from Kyle who cradled it in his arms protectively.

“Hey! No takesy backsies.” Kyle turned to Cam. “Since when are you and Guerin friends?”

“I’m friendly,” Cam shrugged, earning her an incredulous look from both men.

“Isn’t your whole thing about being intimidatingly professional?” Alex asked, referring to the image Cam had carefully cultivated around herself. “Especially to your  _ boss _ ?”

“That’s why I closed the door,” Cam said with a self-satisfied smile. “Fine, I’m going back to work. Thank you for the gift,  _ boss _ , as odd as it may be.”

“You’re welcome,” Alex said, “Keep the door closed. I have to make a couple of calls.”

“You mean before your lunch with Mr. Long?” Cam asked, her tone suddenly snippy.

And at that moment, Michael’s mood made perfect sense. Alex clicked through his calendar, gauging his schedule quickly then said, “You know what, change all my afternoon meetings into video calls.”

Kyle raised his eyebrows at Alex. “Because of  _ Wyatt _ ? Is this the upside down place? Did I fly into the Bermuda triangle or something?”

“No,” Alex said wrinkling his nose in distaste. “I have a lunch with Forrest, not Wyatt. And I need to go home, Michael’s not feeling well.”

It was a truth that was just shy of a lie. There was no way he was lying outright in front of both Cam and Kyle.

The smile Came gave him was much friendlier. “Tell Guerin to suck it up and get better. I need to kick his ass on online poker.”

Kyle was still looking at him strangely when Cam left, his lips pressed together as in thought.

“What?”

“Did you know that all this time I have never heard you call your dad’s place your home,” Kyle asked, now smiling in a way that Alex knew meant he was happy for him. “Cam’s right. Guerin must have magic Christmas sex powers.”

“Go away,” Alex said, ignoring the sudden flush of warmth on his cheeks.

Thankfully, Kyle did as Alex asked leaving him in blissful silence.

Alex took a minute, drumming his fingers against his desk, considering his options. Changing his schedule to accommodate his relationship wasn’t sustainable, but trust wasn't built in a day (or a couple of weeks as the case may be) and Michael in particular had always had a hard time with it. They needed to work on a foundation and if there was anything business school taught him, it was the value of making good investments.

Which was a terrible way of rationalizing that he wanted to do a list of filthy things to Michael that would make him forget why he was jealous in the first place.

He took out his phone and placed an order online before speeding through the emails and calls he needed to return. There was an hour to go before lunch and if he timed everything perfectly, he’d be home a good two hours before his first afternoon meeting.

When he was done he called Michael who answered on the second ring so at least he wasn’t outright ignoring Alex.

“Were you upset this morning because of my lunch with Forrest?” Alex asked, getting straight to the point.

“ _ No _ ,” Michael said a little too forcefully. A pause. Then, “Maybe. Look, Manes, jealousy is an irrational emotion. It’s not my fault. It’s biology.”

“I can suggest something to make you feel better if you’re free?” Alex asked. There were cars honking and the general sound of people in the background which meant Michael was out and he didn’t want to pressure Michael to go back home if he had other plans. 

“Aren’t you busy today?” Michael asked instead of answering, his petulance obvious.

“I can be done with the lunch in half an hour.” 

Michael hummed, this time obviously pleased. “Your lunch date not interesting enough for you?”

“There might be someone else I find more interesting,” Alex said coyly, “And if they were likewise interested, there might be a gift waiting for them. To help them —  _ prepare _ .”

Dirty talk was not Alex’s forte, but judging from his sudden exhale Michael seemed to get the idea.

“You got me a toy?”

Alex smirked. “More than one.”

“Jesus _ ,  _ Alex,” Michael whined. “I’m in public. You can’t say things like that. I’m going to get arrested for popping a boner on the sidewalk.”

“Then finish whatever you’re doing and go back home.”

‘Yes, sir.”

“Good boy.” 

There was a small strangled sound from Michael. “ _ Oh my god _ . If I get arrested for indecent exposure you’re bailing me out.”

-

Compartmentalizing was a skill Alex had honed out of sheer necessity. It had served him well in high school, during his deployment, in times of crisis, and most recently, during a lunch that he’d wanted to be over as soon as possible so he could be free to imagine all the ways Michael was using the package he’d ordered.

That missed opportunity was the reason Alex was blindsided by a sharp wave of arousal when he saw Michael, laid out on the bed, eyes shuttered, long legs spread, the light glinting off the slick shine of the dildo as he fucked himself with it.

“ _ God, Guerin, _ ” Alex said, breathless.

A grin, cocky as all hell, stretched across Michael’s face. “You just gonna watch?”

“If that’s what you want. I’d be happy to sit back and enjoy the show.”

“Kinda prefer you as an active participant.”

Alex smirked, stripping slowly, a deliberate tease. It was still new, baring himself completely like that, but Michael’s hungry gaze quashed any of his residual self-consciousness. He moved to the bed, taking off his prosthetic before positioning himself in perfect view of Michael who was still working the dildo in and out, a gorgeous flush blooming down his neck. Alex could just make out the silicone under Michael’s fingertips, recognizing it purely by the bright purple hue.

“Went for the smallest one?” Alex asked voice rough, mouth gone completely dry as he watched Michael pull out the toy almost all the way, before pushing it back in a leisurely drag.

“Figured you’d want to try them all,” Michael said around a groan. “Thought I’d start slow.”

“Aren’t you sweet. Always thinking of me.” Alex tipped Michael’s face towards him, kissing him slow and deep.

That was the thing with Michael. He’d rather wait for Alex to give him what he needed. Would rather start a fight than to ask. Never demanded. Never taking simply because it was what he deserved. 

Alex wanted to show him he could, and if for any reason he couldn’t, Alex would take care of him.

“But what do you want?” Alex asked hot against Michael’s ear before lowering his head to scrape his teeth against the line of his jaw, trailing sucking kisses down the column of his neck. 

He couldn’t help but roam as he waited for an answer. Alex’s hand squeezed the meaty swell of Michael’s pecs, flicked over the bud of one nipple, following the trail of dark hair down his abs and then — just barely grazed Michael’s leaking cock as he moved down to his thighs.

It was a ghost of a touch but Michael stilled, eyes squeezing shut as he tried to catch his breath. Alex drank it all in greedily, obsessed with the way Michael was trembling a little, arching and twisting, groaning gasps falling from his lips with every pass of Alex’s hand over his skin. 

“Did you know I once edged myself for four hours just to see if I could do it?” Michael asked. His eyes fluttered open revealing a self-deprecating humor mixed in with the desire that had blown his pupils wide. Alex’s hand shifted again, drawing out another gasp. “ _ Fuck _ — But it’s — But it’s like my dick sees you and it’s game over.”

Alex didn’t try to pretend that he wasn’t pleased by the confession. It was addicting to have Michael like this, needy and desperate, but he had other plans for them. His palm brushed against the hand Michael still had between his thighs, Michael chasing after the touch, but Alex drew his hand away.

“Gonna take care of you, baby. You’ve been real good for me,” Alex murmured, continuing to stroke Michael’s heated skin with feather-light touches, “But you have to tell me what you want.”

“Anything. I’m down with anything, just  _ please— _ ” Michael babbled.

Drops of precome beaded the head of Michael’s cock, the muscles of his thighs strained and taut. Alex himself was rock hard just from watching. He could only imagine how wired Michael was, having already worked himself up for fuck knows how long before Alex arrived. 

Alex’s other hand cupped Michael’s cheek gently, thumb sliding over his bottom lip. “I want to know what you want, Guerin,” he repeated softly.

Michael released a shaky exhale, a look in his eyes that Alex couldn’t quite read. He worried for a moment that he’d gone too far, that despite the safe words and boundaries they’d set, Alex had fucked up, but Michael suddenly, and a lot smoother than Alex would have been capable in the same state, rose to his knees, one leg on either side of Alex. He surged towards him, capturing Alex’s lips in a kiss so rough and needy it was like Michael was trying to imprint himself on Alex’s soul, igniting every single cell in his body.

“You,” Michael said when he pulled back with a shaky exhale, a raw intensity in his eyes that punched the air straight out of Alex’s lungs. “I want you.”

Alex was suddenly flooded with multiple sensations. Michael lips sucking against the sensitive pulse point of his neck, Michael’s long fingers wrapped around Alex’s cock, jerking him off with nice long strokes that had stars exploding behind his eyelids. The sound of Michael’s choked out gasps, pushing him higher and higher.

It was only a genuine concern for Michael’s ass that Alex was able to break through his own lust-filled haze when he realized that Michael had slid out the dildo and was a breath away from doing something he’d regret in the morning.

“Slow down,” Alex said, squeezing his hip. “You’re going to hurt yourself. That barely stretched you out.”

Michael whined in a way that suggested he didn’t appreciate Alex’s common sense before grabbing the lube and a condom from the nightstand and slapping the bottle into Alex’s hand. “Then finger me open or I’m going to impale myself on you. I don’t care if I walk funny for a week.”

Alex chuckled as he pulled Michael down for another kiss, his laughter turning into a drawn out moan when Michael rolled the condom on Alex without looking, leaving his palm there to stroke him through the latex.

“I’ve created a monster,” Alex gasped, working his fingers into Michael in a slow, wet slide. Michael shuddered as Alex scissored his fingers in him, biting down on his lip in a way that was sure to leave it bruised and raw.

“Less snarking more fucking.”

How Michael could still run his mouth when he was strung tight with arousal was a mystery. It would have also been annoying if everything about Michael wasn’t so damn endearing.

It didn’t take long before Michael was insisting on more, his voice unsteady and rough as grovel. It took even less time before he positioned himself over Alex, sinking smoothly around him in one quick motion and wrenching ragged groans from both of them.

“Oh god,  _ Alex _ ,” Michael whimpered. A beautiful sound that had Alex meeting Michael’s hips, angling his thrusts, knowing he hit that exact spot that Michael needed when he threw his head back, pleasure etched on his face.

“Gonna give you everything you need,” Alex said, fucking into Michael so that he was drilling into his prostate again and again, hands gripping Michael’s thighs to give him leverage.

“Oh, Alex, oh god, oh _oh,_ _oh—”_ Michael moaned, eyes drawn to the way that his cock was leaking steadily, making a wet mess on Alex’s stomach. “I want to come like this— you feel so good, _so fucking good_ — let me come just like this. Just with me riding you.”

“As you wish,” Alex said cheekily before slamming into Michael, rough and fast. His large hands, guiding Michael’s hips, the sounds filling the room filthy and obscene.

Michael pawed over Alex’s chest widely, his cock drooling and sputtering as his prostate was assaulted. The flush that started at his neck now down to where the hair on his chest tapered towards his abs.

Michael was gorgeous and Alex was damn lucky to have him like this.

“Tell me what you want,” Alex coaxed, his own skin slick with sweat. A fervent need spiking through him, grip tightening against Michael’s thighs.

“I’d worship you for hours,” Michael gasped, his breath catching in his throat. “I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel. I’d make you come again and again. Or make you wait until you’re delirious with need.”

“ _ Yes _ . Anything you want.”

“I want — I want you to fuck me in the kitchen. I want to blow you in the elevator. In front of that damn fireplace that’s an affront to all fireplaces because fires shouldn’t be started with a remote,” Michael growled. Alex couldn’t even laugh at his ridiculous complaint, he was lost in the way Michael was clenching around him, breath ragged, shamelessly needy. “I want you slow and lazy and—  _ Jesus _ , Alex.  _ I want you so fucking much _ .”

“You have me, sweetheart,” Alex promised, his own voice sounding wrecked and dirty to his ears. “You’re almost there. You’re so good. So good for me.”

“ _ Oh, Alex _ —  _ Alex, _ ” Michael keened, his rhythm going fast and irregular, hips grinding, down, down, deep and perfect. A sharp cry burst out of Michael’s mouth as his orgasm rocked through him, his cock shooting off without once being touched, jerking and spilling all over Alex’s belly.

It took everything to stop himself from coming as Michael clenched around him, but Alex bit his lip, focused on making Michael feel good, drawing every ounce of pleasure out of him before finally letting himself drown in his own release, Michael’s name sweet against his lips.

They stared at each other for a moment, breaking into ridiculous giggles the second their brains came back online. Michael swooped down, capturing Alex’s lips in another kiss before detangling himself and collapsing next to him.

“What,” Michael gasped, still in the process of catching his breath, “the hell was that?”

Alex grinned at the ceiling, his own heart still beating fast. “Something to remember the next time you can’t stop the jealous noise in your head.”

When he didn’t answer after a moment, Alex glanced over to see Michael looking at him with an open sort of wonder on his face.

Not quite prepared to ask what that was about but not shying away from it either, Alex shifted so he was facing Michael, propped up on one elbow. “If you don’t have plans, I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow.”

“Is this your way of saying you’re getting sick of my cooking?” Michael asked, glaring up at Alex.

“Can’t a guy just treat his man right?” Alex shot back, brushing a sweaty curl off Michael’s forehead. “If I can make it happen on time, I might even have a little surprise.”

Michael raised an eyebrow at him. “If this is going to become a daily thing we’ll need to stock up on Gatorade and energy bars. Which reminds me, I went back to the sandwich place and Delmar was telling me about this crazy thing that happened a couple months ago—”

Alex settled against the pillow, contentment bubbling inside him as he listened to Michael’s morning adventures. He stayed that way for as long as he could, reluctantly locking himself in his study when he needed to go back to work, but happy with the knowledge that Michael would be there when he was done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that these two are _amazingly_ self-aware about how much they want each other BUT STILL REFUSE TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER ABOUT IT UNLESS THEY’RE FIGHTING OR IN BED. If that isn’t canon-characterization despite a vastly different universe I don’t know what is. 
> 
> Anyway follow me on [tumblr](https://djchika.tumblr.com/) and/or [twitter](https://twitter.com/djchika_)!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ATTENTION!!!
> 
> Please notice that I had to update the chapter count because the last chapter had gotten too long. I'm not totally done with the last chapter yet but I'lm getting there! Figured someone of you might be masochists and enjoy a nice little cliffhanger.

Michael got up the following morning feeling fucking amazing. Alex was perfect, the sex was mind blowing, and because he’d woken up so early he’d decided that he was putting together breakfast in bed for him and Alex.

A plan that shattered along with the egg he dropped on the floor because Kyle Valenti suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“Oh hey,” Valenti said casually as if him being in Alex’s apartment at — Michael glanced at his phone — a little past five in the morning was an everyday occurrence. “I thought you were Alex.”

“No, not Alex,” Michael replied curtly, his good mood dissipating. He knew the guy was Alex’s new bestie or whatever, but no one had ever said Michael was the type to forgive and forget. Especially not when it came to people he cared about.

Characteristically obtuse, Valenti gave him a friendly smile. “He’s still in bed? Don’t worry, I know where it is.”

Then, without waiting for an acknowledgement, he left, leaving Michael staring after him dumbfounded.

_ What the hell? _

Michael sidestepped the eggy mess and poked his head out of the door to watch as Valenti walked straight into the bedroom without even knocking. He waited to hear Alex yell at the intrusion, a startled yelp maybe, but none was forthcoming. Apparently Valenti could just walk into Alex’s bedroom at any hour and Alex would  _ let _ him.

The discomfort floating around in his stomach wasn’t jealousy. He knew jealousy, had been intimately acquainted with it recently because of Forrest. This was just… weird.

It was weird that Valenti had a keycard to Alex’s place and felt comfortable enough to use it at all hours. It was weird that Valenti nor Alex didn’t seem to have any qualms about him just entering the bedroom as if Alex couldn’t possibly be having sex with someone at that moment. It was weird that Valenti had acted like it was perfectly normal for him to run into Michael at Alex’s place like they both belonged there. It was all fucking  _ weird _ .

Needing confirmation that he wasn’t losing his mind, he hit the first name on his favorites and immediately filled Isobel in on the situation.

“It’s three in the goddamned morning, Michael,” she growled once he’d finished. “I thought you were lying in a ditch somewhere!”

Shit. He’d forgotten about the time  _ and _ the time difference.

“But it’s weird, right?” he asked, when Isobel didn’t immediately hang up on him.

“From what you told me Kyle is Alex’s family,” Isobel said with a pointed yawn. “It’s no weirder than when I barge into your house.”

“Not when I’m naked in bed!”

“Gross, yeah, no,” Isobel said and Michael could clearly picture the disgusted look on her face. “Maybe it’s like when you’re naked in a gym shower. Honesty system.”

The shapeless discomfort was rapidly hardening into a solid knot. It was easy to forget that he hadn’t actually known Alex in years. He didn’t doubt the goodness he saw in him, but he wasn’t sure how that weighed against a near decade of them as virtual strangers.

“I can hear you brooding from four states away,” Isobel said, “What going on in your head?”

Michael blew out a breath. “That maybe I’m deluding myself into thinking there’s more here? I didn’t know about Valenti’s night time visits. Who knows what other highschool neanderthal shaped secrets Alex has? He might have a — a body hidden under the floorboards.”

“Really?” Isobel asked, incredulously. “Admit it. You’re looking for a reason to sabotage this because that’s what you do when you feel vulnerable. You either run or push people away.”

“That’s not what I’m doing,” Michael said, his protest hollow even to his own ears. There was truth in her words and they both knew it. Self-awareness sucked sometimes.

Isobel scoffed. “You’ve always been a bad liar. Here’s a novel idea, why don’t you  _ talk to him. _ ”

“Yeah, because baring your heart and soul to someone who could smash it like an egg is that easy.” Michael glared at the literal smashed egg on the kitchen floor before grabbing a couple of paper towers to clean it up. If Isobel was going to force him to be honest about how he felt then might as well go all out. “It’s different with Alex, Iz. I’m not thrilled to be putting my heart out there, but more than that I don’t want to lose him.”

There was a gentle sigh from the other end of the line. “Look, I can’t tell you that everything’s going to work out the way you want, but I do know that if you leave New York without telling him how you feel, you’re going to regret it.”

“So I’m just supposed to profess my undying love? It’s barely been two weeks.”

“Who cares? It’s like when Netflix remembers where you left off. Your heart just pressed play again. Besides, I’m not telling you to propose to him. I’m saying get to know him without this whole Risky Business thing hanging over your heads.”

“Pretty Woman,” Michael corrected, tossing the paper towels into the garbage grumpily. “No one should be this sensible at three am.”

“It’s my superpower — talking down spiraling brothers. Now cowboy up and take the first step. Ask what Valenti’s doing there,” Isobel ordered before hanging up, rudely, but efficiently, cutting off any more of his protests.

Michael scowled at the rest of the eggs on the counter, entertaining visions of just throwing them at Valenti until he ran away.

Deciding Isobel’s way was better, he took a deep breath, taking his time walking towards the bedroom. Not to eavesdrop, but to make sure they weren’t talking about anything personal because unlike  _ some people _ he didn’t want to unceremoniously insert himself in private spaces.

“—saw the strategy they proposed for your announcement,” Kyle was saying. “What the hell were they thinking?”

Alex sighed tiredly. “Yeah, that was me. I’d mentioned damage control during the brief and they ran with it.“

Michael made a face at them through the wall. Seriously? That was why Valenti had to drop by at an ungodly hour?  _ Work _ ?

Schooling his face back to a careful disinterest that hopefully masked his tiny meltdown in the kitchen, Michael entered the room. Valenti was sitting on the floor, his back against the bed while Alex was on his stomach, a pillow bunched up under his head, his back exposed.

He’d been planning to say something simple, ‘ _ good morning _ ’ or ‘ _ anyone want waffles _ ?’, instead what came out of his mouth was, “He’s naked under there you know.”

There was a series of beats when both Alex and Valenti looked at him, then at each other, then at the blanket covering the lower half of Alex’s body, then back at Michael.

Valenti shrugged before pushing himself to his feet. “Nothing I haven’t seen before. I’ll see you at the office,” he told Alex, then patted Michael’s shoulder on his way out. “Nice seeing you again, Guerin.”

Michael closed the door firmly behind Valenti. “‘ _ Nothing I haven’t seen before’?  _ What, like a drunken bros helping bros hook-up?”

“God, no,” Alex said, sitting up and making a face like there was a bad taste in his mouth which Michael agreed was the only acceptable reaction to sex with Valenti. “Kyle’s an only child with loving parents who never had the time for him and I had too many brothers and a dad none of whom paid me any positive attention.”

“So you’re saying your friendship has boundary issues?” 

“Basically.”

Michael opened his mouth then realized that there really wasn’t anything else he wanted to know. Maybe Isobel was right about the simplicity of asking. With a huff, he climbed into bed and straddled Alex who smiled, pleased at his sudden lapful of Michael.

“Good morning,” Alex said, pressing his lips against Michael’s in a light kiss. When he pulled away, amusement was shining in his eyes. “Wait, was that your way of communicating instead of throwing a fit?”

“A little thing called growth,” Michael said with a cocky shrug making Alex laugh. “I still can’t believe you chose Valenti as your best friend, but who am I to judge your bad choices?”

“We can’t all be as mature as you,” Alex quipped. “What were you doing up anyway?”

“I was going to cook breakfast.”

“No,” Alex groaned. “Breakfast means I have to get up and I don’t want the day to start yet.”

Michael ran his fingers through Alex’s hair soothingly. “Is that why Valenti was here so early?”

“Kinda. He tends to show up when he has personal shit to process, but he also updated me on a couple of meetings.” He gave Michael an apologetic grimace. “I need to ask for a rain check on our date.”

Michael didn’t expect the effect one word could have on his pulse.  _ Date _ . Alex said  _ date _ .

“Take out and a movie instead?” Michael asked, once he felt like his heart wasn’t going to soar straight out of his mouth. 

“I don’t know what time I’ll be home,” Alex said miserably. “We got a lot done during the weekend, but if we want to close everything out soon we’ll need to work double time. That and hope everything goes smoothly during the dinner Josephine’s throwing on Friday.”

It was like Michael soaring heart had flown too close to the sun and in a fiery blaze of feathers and hope, crash landed into his stomach.

“Friday’s the big day then?” Michael asked, releasing a shaky breath.

Alex groaned again, burying his face in Michael’s neck. “Yes, thank god. I cannot wait for all of this to be over.” 

Michael closed his eyes, glad that Alex couldn’t see his expression. There had always been an expiry to their set up. Hell, he’d spun out over it no more than thirty minutes ago, but hearing it from Alex hit differently. It conjured up images of Princess Jasmine trapped in an hourglass which was partly because Michael had watched  _ Aladdin _ while Alex was working the other night, and partly because his brain had decided melodrama was the only way to deal.

His fingers played with the hair on Alex’s nape and hoped to hell Alex couldn’t hear his heart pounding against his ribcage. He could ask Alex out now. Take the raincheck Alex asked for and say sure, raincheck, but Michael wanted more. Wanted to take Alex on a real, honest to goodness, I’m-head-over-heels-for-you date.

Taking a deep breath, Michael began, “So I was thinking—”

Alex raised his head to look him in the eye, his face bright and curious as he waited for Michael to finish. He looked happy, despite the stress and the late nights, Alex looked at Michael and it was like joy shone from his very core.

Michael wasn’t ready to let go of that yet.

“Do you want waffles or omelettes for breakfast?” he asked instead, swallowing down everything else that was at the tip of his tongue.

Alex grinned, carefully flipping them over so that he was the one straddling Michael. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

It was awful and cheesy, but Michael fell for it anyway, smiling happily as Alex kissed him senseless.

His day of reckoning may be coming soon, but at that moment he was content having Alex in his arms and ignoring the world around them.

-

It took Michael a full twenty-four hours before he could look at Alex without feeling like a teenager wanting to ask his crush out for prom.

It took him another twelve hours before his anxiety made him so actively bizarre that Alex asked if he’d smoked up and lamented not being able to join him because of work.

By the time the fateful day rolled around, Michael couldn’t shake the feeling that he was preparing for a firing squad.

Okay, that was overdramatic even for his stupid inner monologue, but while Alex had been off saving humanity or whatever, Michael had been drafting a blueprint for himself.

All he needed to do was impersonate an adult human being who was capable of communicating without the use of sex and/or sex-related paraphernalia and ask Alex out on a date. Pizza and beer. Maybe throw in a game of pool.

Simple enough.

If only Michael’s life had ever been simple.

The night started off promising. The dinner was at House of M, the kind of fancy restaurant that had a UES address and a celebrity chef. Michael expected to hate it at first sight, similar to all the abysmally pretentious places that had hosted Alex’s other work events, but House of M was surprisingly enchanting. A quality that was enhanced by its owner and chef, Wanda, who’d apparently known Alex for almost as long as Michael had.

“I can’t believe you don’t talk about me,” Wanda complained, smacking Alex on the arm when Michael said he hadn’t heard any of their summer camp adventures. “And you call me your personal superhero.”

“She tackled Flint because he was being mean to me,” Alex explained to an impressed Michael, “We were twelve. He was thirteen. Ended up breaking his arm.”

“You’re my hero now too,” Michael proclaimed, making Wanda laugh.

Again, a promising start to the evening. That was, until a regal lady in her sixties welcomed them and Michael realized with dawning horror that he was badly mistaken. There was no way in hell it was going to be a good night.

The woman focused on Alex first, hugging him before turning to Michael with a charming smile. “And who is this handsome man?”

Michael offered his hand. “Michael Guerin, ma’am.”

“Josephine Long. I feel like we’ve met,” Josephine said, peering at Michael as if trying to place him. Beside him Alex looked curiously between the two of them.

“I worked at your home ranch in Roswell every summer during high school,” Michael said, his smile tight. “I think our paths crossed once or twice.”

“Then we have a lot to catch up on,” Josephine said jovially. She excused herself when another guest arrived. “I’ll talk to you two sweethearts later.”

Once she was out of earshot, Michael turned to Alex, speaking low. “I didn’t know you were working with the Longs.”

“Yeah. Josephine didn’t like my dad, but she was one of our first new clients when I took over.” Alex stopped, his eyes bugging out. “Oh god, she wasn’t one of  _ your _ clients was she?”

“No!” Michael said. “Her son, Wyatt has had it out for me since after high school. I slept with his girl not knowing who she was.” Alex’s eyebrows shot up and Michael grimaced, before continuing. “Then punched him out when he got into her face about it.”

That was the short version. The long version was that he and Wyatt had never seen eye to eye and every time they’d crossed paths one or both of them ended up with a shiner. Wyatt loved being an asshole and Michael had never learned to walk away.

“Okay,” Alex breathed out. “Okay, that’s less awkward than you sleeping with Josephine.”

“Sure, yeah. Thank God for small mercies,” Michael said sarcastically. He sighed, resisting the urge to run a hand through his hair given the amount of product in it. “Maybe I should go. You have Valenti here anyway.”

Alex frowned at him. “If you’re uncomfortable, fine, but I’m not worried. Wyatt is afraid of Jospehine. I doubt he’d do anything with her around.”

Indecision warred inside him. On one hand, Alex was giving him an easy out from a possibly explosive situation. On the other hand, there was a possibility this was his last night out with Alex and he’d be damned if he let Wyatt take that from him.

“It’s just one night, right?” Michael said with a resolute smile. 

It was. One incredibly long, infuriating night.

Alex wasn’t wrong about Wyatt exactly. The coward didn’t dare do anything obvious in front of his mother. Instead he resorted to barbed comments throughout dinner that flew over everyone else’s heads. Alex and Valenti did their best to move the conversation along or shut him down with a subtle glare, but Wyatt was relentless. Michael would have gladly leapt over the table and beat the shit out of the guy if it didn’t mean fucking over Alex and everything he’d been working on.

On top of everything else, Forrest was also there. All cheekbones and jawlines and pitiful, lovesick glances at  _ Michael’s _ date.

It was torture, but he endured all of it for Alex. Besides, with the way Alex’s jaw had been ticking all evening, it seemed like he was two seconds away from hitting Wyatt himself.

“I do remember you. You came highly recommended by Walt,” Josephine told Michael as they were served dessert. “A quick study! That’s what he said. Which from that curmudgeon is saying something. You made a mean green chile stew during one of our picnics.”

“He’s a great cook,” Alex said proudly, placing his hand over Michael’s where it lay on the table and giving it a squeeze.

Michael couldn’t help the affectionate, smitten smile he aimed at Alex. “Maybe you just have bad taste.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Alex told Josephine who was watching them fondly. “He’s a man of many talents.”

From across the table, Wyatt gave Michael a sharp smile. “I bet he is.”

“Yes, I’ve heard a lot about Michael and his  _ skills _ ,” Kate said with her own sly smile. She turned to Alex, eyes big and guileless, “Did you know Forrest is getting a PhD from Columbia? Isn’t that where you got your MBA?”

Alex’s thumb stroked over his hand soothingly, but whatever comfort it offered was engulfed by the quiet, flaming anger Michael had been trying to keep at bay. Not counting Josephine, he really fucking hated the Longs.

Thankfully, the night didn’t drag on. They finished dessert, exchanged more pleasantries, and then it was time for goodbyes.

Michael should have known better than to let his guard down.

He was on his way back from the restroom which was how Wyatt caught him alone in the hallway, a malicious sneer on his face. “Looking for the next guy you plan on ripping off?”

“I have nothing to say to you, Long,” Michael tried to walk past him, but Wyatt was quick to block his path.

“Well, I have plenty to say,” Wyatt said, getting in his face. “Alex is a Manes Man. An American patriot. Do you really think trash like you should be anywhere near him?”

Michael gritted his teeth, pulling himself to his full height, using the inches he had on Wyatt to tower over the bastard.

“What Alex and I do is none of your business,” he growled. “Unless you’re planning to hire me, in which case, I don’t sleep with vermin.”

“Big talk. It don’t change the fact you don’t belong in this world. Even Alex knows it. Why do you think he’s got his PR team locked and loaded, ready to cover your tracks?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Michael asked, before he could stop himself.

Wyatt unlocked his phone and thrust it at him. It took Michael a second to understand what he was looking at, a loud buzzing in his ears increasing with every line he read. It was a memo. About him. A list of all his achievements, his volunteer work, his extracurriculars in school. Hi sfucking GPA. A polished, unblemished version of who he was.

“If you removed the name, you wouldn’t even know that was you,” Wyatt taunted. “You know who it sounds like? Forrest. See, he’s the kind of guy someone like Alex marries. You’re nothing but gossip fodder. A ticking time bomb that could ruin all the work our companies have been doing and that there is Alex getting ready for damage control.”

The memory of Alex’s words to Valenti punched him in the stomach.  _ “Yeah, that was me. I’d mentioned damage control during the brief.” _

Every jealous, insecure thought in Michael’s head amplified tenfold. Every fleeting  _ ‘you’re not good enough’ _ and  _ ‘he’d never think you’re worth it’ _ sunk its claws into him until it felt like his heart was shredding with every breath.

Michael shoved the phone against Wyatt’s chest. “Just fuck off.”

“Face it, Guerin. You’re a loser,” Wyatt sneered, grabbing Michael’s wrist in a crushing grip. “You’ve always been a loser and now you’re a loser who’s also a fucking whor—”

-

There would come a day when Michael would look back on this moment and hear Alex’s voice saying  _ ‘No, no, that’s the part of the movie where the romantic lead has everything he wanted in the palm of his hand and now he’s going to throw it all away with one stupid decision.’ _

Too bad the voice wasn’t there on the day it happened.

-

“Fuck,” Michael grunted as pain reverberated from his fingers and up his wrist. He probably hurt himself almost as much as he did Wyatt, punching him badly with his left hand, but it did the job. Wyatt was on the floor, groaning, a promise of a huge purple bruise on his cheek come morning. 

The reality of what he’d done didn’t hit Michael until he turned around and found who else but Josephine, standing at the end of the hall.

_ Jesus fucking Christ. _

Knowing that there was no way to salvage the situation, Michael did the only sensible thing he could at that moment — he ran.

-

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Michael winced as he wrapped a bandana around his left hand, already sore and starting to swell. He’d ice it later. He didn’t want to spend any more time in Alex’s apartment than necessary.

It was stupid coming back at all, but he had little choice. Not when everything he owned was in the bag under Alex’s bed and literally everything on his person had been gifted. From his shoes to his shirt to the wallet that carried the only thing he actually did own — his New Mexico driver's license and his debit card.

He grabbed the few things he had strewn around. A couple of shirts, his boots, Max’s beat up copy of 100 Years of Solitude that he never finished reading. Everything else were remnants of the person Alex had needed him to become. 

It took less than fifteen minutes for Michael to strip everything about himself from a place he’d naively called home.

The pain that had been slicing through his chest solidified into a wall of anger. Anger at Wyatt for being an asshole. Anger at Alex for trying to lie about him. Anger at himself for believing in permanence. As much as he loved Max and Isobel, no place had felt like home since his mom died, not until now. Not until Alex. 

He was a fool to think it could ever work out.

The elevator doors opened just as he stepped into the foyer. Alex was leaning against the back wall, his coat draped over one arm, fingers rubbing his eyes wearily. A part of Michael’s soul withered knowing that this was the image of Alex that would be seared in his mind — someone who was tired and disappointed and done.

Alex looked up, and for a second Michael thought he recognized relief there, but his eyes quickly hardened when he saw the duffel bag in Michael’s hand.

“You’re leaving?”

“No, I’m having a sleepover at Valenti’s,” Michael replied, dryly.

“Funny,” Alex said, walking out of the elevator, jaw set, his shoulders a rigid block of hurt and betrayal. “You get into a fight with Wyatt, you run off and now you’re just going to leave without talking to me? What the hell, Guerin?”

Michael laughed bitterly, dropping his bag on the floor with a thunk. “You wanna talk? Yeah, okay. Let’s talk about how you asked your — your PR team to spin a fairytale about me. How about we talk about that?”

“What?” Alex asked, his eyebrows drawing together.

“Yeah, Wyatt showed me,” Michael answered, relishing in the way the words scraped against his throat. It was easier to focus on that than the fresh pain reverberating in his chest. “Making up this persona so I don’t accidentally mess up your big acquisition.”

“No, that’s not,” Alex shook his head. “I’m not going to pretend that — that what you do doesn’t make things complicated, but I was trying to protect you.”

Michael ran his hands through his hair, chuckling to himself before looking Alex dead in the eye. “You wanted to protect me? Protect me by asking me to lie about who I am? Hide all my dirty laundry in the closet just like your dad ordered you to do?”

Alex sucked in a sharp breath as if Michael had physically hit him. “You really think I’d do that to you?” he asked quietly.

A sense of imbalance swept Michael’s feet from under him. A towering wave of wrongness that made him want to take back everything he’d said, to fix what he hadn’t realized he’d help break, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

“I don’t fit in your world, Alex,” Michael said, his voice as rough as gravel. “It was never going to work out.” 

Alex nodded once. “I guess not. Take care, Michael.”

He didn’t move when Michael snatched his bag from the floor. Didn’t move when Michael pushed past him and into the elevator. Didn’t move as Michael left everything behind, including the shattered remains of his broken heart.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are cameo's I've been weaving in that have nothing to do with RNM and are solely for my pleasure, but if you've read my other non-RNM fic you'll know what I mean. xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM DONE!!! I told myself I'd post this last chapter before January ended because this was supposed to be for _Christmas_ and I did it!
> 
> Thank you for letting me share this little work of joy. Please note the addition of a minor ship in case that's not your thing.

The apartment was painfully quiet. Empty. Claustrophobic in its stillness after weeks of constant activity, of having someone else there to fill the vast space.

It was a silence so distractingly deafening that Alex was done drowning himself in the shower, swathed in his oldest, comfiest band shirt, before he noticed the delivery boxes in the living room.

Three large nondescript boxes marked fragile that had the potency of a pipe bomb exploding in Alex’s chest. Its jagged shards caught in his throat, digging into his skin as tears pricked the back of his eyes.

Alex refused to let them fall.

He couldn’t break down. Not now. But there was no way he could stay there either. He couldn’t look at those boxes. Couldn’t  _ think _ about the surprise he’d planned without his stomach churning violently.

On autopilot, he grabbed what he needed then headed to the one place he knew he could hide. 

He didn’t expect to find anyone when he arrived at Kyle’s apartment. Kyle was supposed to be stuck in traffic or waiting in an airport lounge in Queens. He wasn’t supposed to be rubbing his eyes of sleep, not at all surprised that Alex had come over with a couple hangers of suits and an overnight bag.

“I thought you were leaving for Roswell tonight?” Alex asked.

Kyle quirked an eyebrow at him as if to say  _ ‘you’re a smart man asking a dumb question, Manes’ _ . He walked over to his bar and raised two bottles. “Tequila or Vodka?”

Alex dumped his stuff in the coat closet before collapsing on the couch with a grateful whine. “Vodka. Lots of it.”

-

Alex was an airman.

A Manes Man.

Alex could hold his liquor and then some.

But when you and your best friend inhale several shots of vodka in a span of an hour the laws of physics would win every time. Or biology. Or chemistry.

Alex wasn’t sure, he was pretty fucking drunk.

He was drunk because Michael Guerin was an asshole and he hated him.

“He’s awful. He’s awful and he’s mean and I hate him,” Alex growled, the words thick on his tongue. They’d moved from the living room to Kyle’s bed where they were both sitting up against the headrest, blankets and pillows arranged like a protective nest around them.

Yeah. That’s what he needed. Protection from Michael because he was awful and mean and Alex hated him. Only, the fire he’d been trying to stoke kept crumbling into ash. He couldn’t hate Michael. Michael was the easiest person to love. It just fucking hurt that Michael thought so little of him.

Alex hugged the vodka bottle to his chest and snuggled deeper against Kyle. “I don’t hate him. I  _ wish _ I hated him. I’m just— I’m mad!”

“Your anger,” Kyle said slowly, his own thought train no doubt sloshing in as much alcohol as Alex’s was, “Your anger is valid—”

“Yes!” Alex said with a fierce nod. “My anger  _ is _ valid. I’m the good guy! Wyatt and Guerin are the bad guys.”

“Wyatt is a really bad guy,” Kyle agreed somberly. “But Guerin isn’t a bad guy.”

Alex trained large, betrayed eyes at him. “He’s not?”

“No?” Kyle squinted at Alex then seemed to come to a conclusion. “Nope. Not a bad guy.”

“Then why would he think I’d do that?” Alex demanded, taking a swig from the bottle before passing it to Kyle.

“Because he doesn’t know you. I mean, he does, but he also doesn’t.  _ I _ know you!” Kyle said brightly before smacking a loud kiss on the top of Alex’s head. “I knew you, then I didn’t know you, now I do again. Guerin is the same, but he needs to know more. A lot of things have changed since high school.”

Alex giggled remembering Kyle with the letterman jacket he never took off and his square jock haircut. “Yeah, if you told me I’d be here with you I’d ask what hellish nightmare I’m in and can I wake up soon?”

“Asshole,” Kyle grumbled. “But yes, exactly. You were never the kind of person who’d do that to someone, but Wyatt blindsided Guerin. If you care about him as much as you obviously do, then maybe a conversation isn’t out of order.”

The problem with talking was it required Michael be  _ there _ which he wasn’t because Alex hadn’t stopped him from leaving. Michael left because Wyatt was evil and Alex hadn’t stopped that either. Alex should have done something, but now Michael was gone.

He could be in New Jersey.

Or back in Roswell.

Or in space.

Alex’s heart sank.

He didn’t want Michael to go to space.

“I don’t want Michael to go to space,” Alex said mournfully, tears filling his eyes.

“He won't,'' Kyle assured him, picking up one end of the blanket and patting Alex’s entire face with it.

Alex sniffed. “I should call Isobel so she’ll tell him not to go to space.”

“God, no. No drunk dialing. Drinking for now.”

Kyle passed him back the bottle and Alex glared at the clear liquid, glad they hadn’t chosen tequila cause then it would be gold and gold was the color of Michael’s eyes when they’d just woken up and the morning sun gave him an ethereal glow.

Alex badly wanted to see that glow again.

“I should talk to him.”

“Tomorrow,” Kyle agreed.

“Okay.”

-

Alex didn’t try to find Michael the following morning.

He didn’t try to find him after their hangover headaches had weakened to a manageable throb.

He didn’t try to find him even after he’d made a reluctant Kyle leave for the flight Alex had to personally rebook for him.

He stayed in Kyle’s apartment and buried himself in work and more booze and didn’t think about how he was hiding out there because his dad’s penthouse was no home without Michael.

-

It wasn’t like he  _ didn’t _ want to find him. Alex just didn’t know what he was going to say when he did.

If Kyle was still there he’d tell Alex that a conversation didn’t require a full strategy, but since Kyle was already in his childhood home baking cookies or whatever it was regular people did during Christmas, there was no one to stop him from a night of overthinking.

Carefully, Alex untangled the slithering mess of emotions that had been threatening to suffocate him and locked them into tidy little boxes. When that was done, he stared at the crux of it all. Worked it out like a nasty piece of buggy code.

Unfortunately, there were times even the best laid plans failed him.

Outside Kyle’s windows pinks and blues had started to color the Manhattan skyline and Alex still didn’t know what to say.

-

“Didn’t you pass out before we did?”

Michael grunted when he opened his eyes and the morning sun seared into his hungover brain. He could make out the silhouette of a tall blonde who was  _ not _ Isobel because he was still in fucking New York unable to leave because his fucking truck had decided to fucking give up on him and the fucking shop had to order the fucking part he needed. He was good at fixing shit, but he couldn’t magic up a car part from scratch.

No, that was a lie.

He could with the proper materials, but on that shitty night standing in the cold with his heart also in a million unfixable pieces, he’d chosen the path of least resistance. It was pure desperation that drove him to call the only other person he knew in New York.

Cam frowned at him from where she was standing right in front of the windows, no doubt to cause Michael maximum pain. The Christmas lights that lined the window sill were twinkling merrily in the sun’s glare adding insult to injury.

“It has been an entire weekend,” she said, pulling the covers off him and dropping them beyond his reach. “Time to face the music, Guerin.”

“Mikey’s liver is just taking longer to process than ours.” Liz, who was definitely Cam’s better, nicer and more sympathetic half, placed what looked like a deep mug of pure caffeine on the coffee table in front of him. “Drink up. It’ll make you feel better.”

“Stop babying him or he’ll never leave.” Cam’s gruff tone was a stark contrast to the gentle kiss she pressed on Liz’s cheek.

“He cooks for us,” Liz said. “Maybe I don’t want him to leave.”

“Get up before she asks if we can keep you,” Cam ordered.

Michael pulled the pillow over his eyes with a pathetic groan, relishing in the darkness. “Don’t worry I know I’ve overstayed my welcome. The shop said they’ll call this morning so I’ll be out of your hair and in the next state over by lunchtime.”

There was a beat of silence then Liz’s voice asked, “You’re not even going to see Alex?”

“I’m good with a souvenir keychain, thanks,” Michael drawled sarcastically. “I don’t need my heart handed to me on a platter again.”

There was an ominous rustle of clothing right before his pillow blindfold was snatched away, Cam suddenly leaning over him, a truly terrifying glare on her face.

“I’m still not sure what possessed us to let you crash here without telling Alex — I’m not ruling out the possibility your sister hypnotized us into submission — but I swear to God if you don’t find your balls I’m going to find them for you by reaching up your ass and—” 

“Okay!” Liz yelped, pulling her girlfriend away. She handed Cam her bag and pushed her out the door. “Babe, let me handle this. You’re going to be late.”

Michael sat up, cradling his throbbing head between his palms, equally horrified by the imagery of Cam’s threat and impressed by the loyalty Alex inspired. 

“She’s going to put a hit out on me isn’t she?”

“Cam’s very protective of him,” Liz explained, sitting down next to Michael. “We both are, so I’m saying this with all honesty: your plan sucks.”

Michael laughed bitterly. Yeah, as plans go his did suck, but he’d caused enough damage. Cam had refused to discuss what she may have or may not have seen in Alex’s emails, but she’d made it clear that Michael was an idiot for believing Wyatt over Alex. For letting his anger cloud everything that he’d done and said that night.

He'd agreed with every word. He didn’t really believe anything Wyatt had said about Alex, but it was hard not to believe everything he’d said about Michael when Michael thought the same thing about himself. Enough that he’d hurt Alex because of it. Alex didn’t need any of that.

“I’m no good for him, Liz,” Michael finally said, raising his head to look at her. “I’m nothing but bad news. I have to walk away.”

The look she gave him back was pure sarcasm. “Sure, because that worked out magnificently the first time.” 

Michael didn’t argue, a steely resolve sliding through him and settling heavy in his stomach. They may not like it, hell, Cam was going to hire an assassin for sure, but if it meant he’d spare Alex, then he would accept the consequences. It was the least he could do.

Liz was quiet beside him for a second, but when she spoke again her voice was suspiciously cheery. “You know what? Teaching privileged Ivy League kids has taught me to choose my battles. Why don't you go shower and I’ll call the shop to see how they’re doing with your truck. No rush.”

Despite his intense need to just lie there and grow mold on their couch, Michael wasn’t a complete tool. He did as Liz asked, hoping the shower spray would wash away the regret from his bad decisions along with all the tequila.

There had been  _ so much _ tequila.

Some yelling from Isobel for his penchant for self-sabotage.

Weirdly, a marathon of old Looney Tunes cartoons because Liz was feeling nostalgic.

There was also a little bit of crying, which Liz and Cam had graciously allowed him to pretend he couldn’t remember. God, he needed to find them the biggest, most expensive Christmas gift just to make up for his shit.

He took his time, using soap and water to its full potential so that it didn’t feel like the alcohol was seeping out of his pores. His concern for his hygiene didn’t extend to his mess of curls or his stubble-turned-scraggly-not quite-lumberjack beard. 

Clean was the requirement. Anything beyond that was extra credit.

Which meant he left the bathroom looking like he’d been living out of his truck for the better part of a week.

Which meant that he resembled a drowned muppet when he got to the living room and found Alex standing there looking impeccable in a charcoal gray suit.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Michael’s heart was pounding, pulse loud in his ears as he drank Alex in, ravenous for every morsel after resigning himself to never seeing him again. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked point blank, false bravado the only thing keeping him upright.

Alex glanced towards the door. “Liz said there was an emergency and I needed to come right away. Then she just… left.”

Even with his eyebrows drawn in confusion. He looked unfairly edible. Alex always looked good, but it was particularly unfair when Michael was in faded jeans and an old ratty shirt that was still clinging to his skin in wet spots.

The least Liz could have done was tell him not to look homeless.

“We’ve been set-up,” Michael said with a shake of his head. “I’m starting to think all your friends have boundary issues.”

“You’re probably right,” Alex agreed, a faint hint of a smile on his lips. His eyes roamed over Michael, hovering over the yellowing bruise on his knuckles before lifting them back to his face. “But you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Good.”

Loaded silence stretched between them once more. Michael steeled himself for screaming and fireworks, but Alex continued to stare at him with an indecipherable expression, rankling at the heartache he was desperate to ignore. It clawed inside his chest until his throat felt raw with the effort of pushing it down.

“Just say what you wanna say, Alex,” Michael bit out tiredly. After everything he wouldn’t be surprised if Alex wanted to rip him a new one. He was ready for anything that Alex could dish out.

“I miss you.”

Oh.

_ Oh. _

_ Oh fuck. _

He was ready for anything except that.

The confession didn’t just bowl him over. It outright flattened him. Wile E. Coyote ran over by an ACME steamroller flat. And just like that damn cartoon, his whole body reinflated with a tentative hope, filling the spaces inside him that had started to feel like an endless void.

So much for that ruthless resolve, Guerin.

Alex moved closer, bright eyes never leaving Michael’s and trapping him in his gaze.

“I’m still mad that you were going to leave without saying goodbye. I’m hurt because you thought I’d put you through what my dad did to me. I’m offended because you believed  _ Wyatt _ when he told you I was that kind of person.”

“No, Alex—”

“I’m also sorry that I didn’t stop him sooner,” Alex continued, cutting Michael off. “I told you that I wanted to protect you — and I did. I asked my team to prepare in case you got caught up in the bad press I sometimes receive. I wanted to be ready, but when it was happening right in front of me,” he breathed out helplessly, eyes tinged with regret, “I didn’t do anything about it.”

It was Michael’s turn to furrow his brows at him cause what the fuck was he talking about? 

“Wyatt being an asshole isn’t on you,” he said, voice firm. He wasn’t about to let Alex blame himself for anything that asshole did.

“Maybe not, but I should have done  _ something _ . I— I should have defended you.”

Michael gave a short, humorless laugh. “I think I’ve proven that I can defend myself.” 

“I just— I’m sorry,” Alex said plainly, now standing so close that Michael could reach out just a couple of inches and pull him in.

If he did, Alex would let him. If he did, they’d end up in Alex’s bed, forget the last couple of days ever happened and go back to how they were.

If only that was all he wanted.

His resolve to leave may have crumbled in the face of Alex, but if he were to stay, if they were to  _ try, _ then he wanted more. He didn’t want to start over. He didn’t want to sweep all their issues under a rug where at the end of the day it was still there, lumpy and kinda gross. He knew with a certainty that none of that was going to work.

Michael exhaled shakily, a different kind of resolve washing over him.

“I’m going to talk,” he said slowly, “and it might not make sense, and you might not agree, but you have to let me finish.”

Alex nodded, his eyes intent on Michael’s. “Okay.”

“I made a mistake staying,” he began, quickly backtracking when hurt flashed over Alex’s face. “No, fuck, no. Not with you. I meant — I meant that I made a mistake choosing to stay during the dinner. Wyatt is a dick and neither of us could do anything about that, but I keep thinking about how differently the night might have gone if I’d just left.”

“That wasn’t your f—”

“Alex, let me—”

“No, I’m not gonna stand here while you—” 

“Oh my God!” Michael spluttered and in a fit of genius decided to cover Alex’s mouth with his palm. The incredulous eyebrow Alex raised at him was enough to distract him from the feeling of Alex’s soft lips against his skin.

“You said you’d let me finish,” Michael said with a scowl.

Alex rolled his eyes, but nodded.

Knowing Alex wouldn’t be able to resist once he started talking again, Michael kept his hand where it was as he talked.

“When my mom died I started pushing people away. I’d make them leave me before I got too attached, before I got it in my head that they’d stay. Then when I realized  _ I _ could leave, that’s all I’ve done since. It’s the kind of bullshit baggage that makes it really fucking easy to think you’re not worth it so when Wyatt said all that shit to me — it was like he’d given a voice to every awful thing I’ve ever taught about myself.”

Alex’s jaw worked angrily, but he didn’t try to remove Michael’s hand or interrupt again.

“I’d been cooking that whole evening. Wyatt’s jab’s, Kate rubbing Fabulous Forrest in my face every chance she got. It was like the cherry on top of a shit-astic sundae. None of which was my fault and it definitely wasn’t yours, but punching Wyatt was  _ my _ stupid decision and the things I said to you afterwards was too.”

Michael let his hand fall away, feeling the loss acutely. He didn’t want to stop touching Alex, but he needed Alex to hear him and understand that Michael meant every word.

“I’m sorry for putting you in an impossible situation. I’m sorry for saying things I don’t believe because I was hurt and lashing out. You are the  _ farthest _ thing from your father and anyone who thinks otherwise either doesn’t know you or doesn’t know the kind of monster he was.”

For a moment Alex just looked at Michael, the sunlight winking behind him as outside snow started to fall. 

“Did you know I had a crush on you in third grade?” Alex asked eventually.

Michael’s eyebrows shot up at that, honestly surprised. “I didn’t know you knew I existed before high school.”

“You were hard to miss,” Alex said, his lips curling into a small smile. “You were the angry kid who’d just moved into the bad part of town and on our first week you fired a rocket into the principal’s office.”

Michael remembered the rocket. He remembered the lonely months following it too. It had been hard enough moving to a new town, no one’s parents wanted their kids to be friends with the certified delinquent. He remembered acting like a pissy stray cat when Isobel and Max basically adopted him.

But he also remembered Alex. Even then he’d noticed his smile, the way his whole face lit up when he laughed. The smile Alex gave him now was similar. Sad around the edges, but warmth still radiating from its core.

“We didn’t really know each other, then Freshman year we were assigned as lab partners. It was like seeing a planet through a telescope for the first time. Everyone already knew you had the highest IQ in the class, but it was like you didn’t want anyone to know that you were also kind, and thoughtful and sweet.”

Alex brushed his fingers against Michael’s jaw, looking right at him and piercing through every fucking wall he’d ever had to put up.

“I never understood why you give yourself so little credit for how amazing you are,” Alex finished quietly.

Jesus. He was that damn coyote again, flattened by an ACME anvil falling off a desert cliff. Alex’s words knocked the breath out of him so effectively that Michael couldn’t make his throat work for a second.

“You see the best of me,” Michael said, his voice thicker than he’d like, “and you make me want to  _ be _ that person, but I’m not sure Wyatt was wrong when he said I don’t fit in your world.”

Alex let out an exasperated huff. It was oddly comforting knowing that Alex could be amazed and annoyed at him at the same time.

“Do you think anyone thought  _ I _ fit in this world?” he asked. “I’m an openly gay CEO of a company that holds one of the biggest contracts in the military. There are people who hate me on both sides of the aisle, and given the company’s history some of the reasons are justified, but who I want to be will never be one of them.”

Alex released a shaky breath, but his voice was steady when he said, “I wanna be with you, Michael.”

It was all too much and Michael was only human after all. In one smooth motion, he surged towards Alex, large hands cupping his face as Michael slotted their mouths together. They kissed hungrily, desperately, making up for all the time they could have lost being absolute idiots.

Michael’s heart was fit to burst and he could feel Alex’s own erratic heartbeat all over with how close they were pressed together. He was spinning through space untethered, grounded only by this man.

Alex’s fingers found their way into his curls and Michael groaned, not just because of the sheer fucking pleasure of having Alex in his arms, of kissing him, but because he was suddenly reminded that they were in someone else’s apartment and if Alex kept doing what he was doing, Michael was officialy going to be the worst house guest in history.

“Wait,” he said, against Alex’s lips. It took every bit of his self-control to pull away, chest heaving as he rested his forehead against Alex’s. “We’re not— We can’t—”

Alex blinked at him owlishly, his cheeks stained pink and beautiful. “Why not?”

“Cam is literally going to stab me in my sleep if we end up having sex in their place.”

“Oh my God,” Alex laughed and there was a wild swooping in Michael’s belly at the sound. “I think you just saved our lives.”

“Don’t say I never did nothing for you,” Michael quipped. He fixed Alex’s now crooked collar, straightened his tie. “You really think this is a good idea?”

Alex touched his fingers to Michael’s jaw, stilling him and making him meet his eyes.

“I want to be with you,” he repeated. “This may not be a movie where the gruff but loveable millionaire falls in love with the gorgeous wild-haired escort. There’s no happily ever after, everything tied together with a neat bow. There’s no big romantic gesture with music swelling in the background. There’s just me, and you, and  _ us _ . If that’s something you want too.” 

_ If.  _ Like Michael hadn’t been dying to ask Alex the same thing for weeks.

“You sure you don’t want to run up the fire escape with a bouquet of roses cause that speech was pretty cheesy,” Michael asked instead because not even the love of his life could stop him from being a little shit.

Yeah, he said it. Alex was the love of his life. Someday he’d even have the courage to tell Alex that too.

Alex grinned and there it was. The light that had Michael hooked the first time he’d laid eyes on him. It was enough to make a poor lovesick guy dizzy.

“Shut up and let’s go home.”

-

Alex was going to buy Liz and Cam an island. A literal actual island. Somewhere remote so that Cam could avoid people all she wanted and Liz could do her sketchy experiments.

It was the least he could do after Liz had pushed him and Michael together  _ and _ Cam had cleared his schedule knowing that there was no way Alex would be able to focus on anything but Michael that day.

They were back home and halfway out of the elevator, Alex divested of several layers of clothing, his shirt mostly unbuttoned when Michael let out a soft, “Woah.”

Alex had to shake off the haze of desire couple with  _ ‘oh my god please don’t let this be a dream tell me I get to have something good in my life’ _ to see what had caught Michael’s attention.

Oh.

He hadn’t been back in his apartment all weekend and apparently the boxes weren’t the only thing that had arrived. There was now a towering ten foot fir set up in the living room.

“Surprise?” Alex asked tentatively, laughing when Michael grinned so wide Alex didn’t even mind that he’d forgot he’d been in the process of removing Alex’s pants.

“You got me a Christmas tree?”

“Not just a tree,” Alex said, his heart suddenly fluttering nervously. He led Michael to the boxes, glad for Cam’s insubordination for once since he remembered specifically asking her to take them back.

He was definitely getting her an island. Maybe two.

“This was supposed to arrive earlier,” Alex said, “but even Cam couldn’t make Sanders adjust to her schedule.”

Alex’s heart fluttered nervously, eyes intent on Michael as he cut through the tape with his keys and lifted the flaps open.

Inside the box was, comedically, a plastic container. One that Michael immediately recognized judging by the way his lips had parted gently in surprise.

“ _ Alex _ ,” Michael breathed out softly.

He lifted the top off with an almost reverent care, pulling out one of the smaller boxes inside that housed a single crystal star and tracing his fingertips along the grooves. The light caught on its angles, reflecting and refracting and making it seem to glow in a rainbow of pastel colors.

“This was my mom’s favorite,” Michael shared as he put the ornament back in its box carefully. “She called it our Christmas wishing star and we made wishes on it every year.”

Alex tilted his head, his entire chest three sizes too big as he watched the wonder on Michael’s face. It was one of those rare moments when he knew without a doubt that he’d done the right thing. 

“You mentioned you hadn’t really had a Christmas tree since Roswell. I figured using your own decor might be a nice surprise. I know Christmas is in a few days, but we could trim the tree now. Make some hot cocoa and—”

His words were suddenly muffled against Michael’s mouth, the heat of the kiss sweeping through him and making him shiver deliciously.

“Okay, yeah, tree trimming later,” Alex said, laughing into the kiss.

Safely in the privacy of their home, they were quick to shed the rest of their clothes, not quite making it to the bedroom and instead making do with the couch. It was reminiscent of their first night together, but this time Michael was straddling him, panting against Alex’s shoulder while Alex was nestled deep inside him. 

“Fuck, it’s annoying how perfect you are. How are you so perfect?”

“Is this the kind of sweet talking I should expect from my boyfriend?” Alex teased.

Michael raised his head to look at him, his pleasantly surprised smile warming Alex’s already heated skin. “I’m your boyfriend?” he asked almost shyly.

“I mean, I could call you my roommate and say we’re just sharing body heat for the sake of the planet,” Alex said with a laugh. His laugh quickly turned into a moan when Michael rolled his hips in retaliation.

There was less laughing and a lot more gasps and groans as Alex took over, working a fist over Michael as he fucked into him, both of them extracting as much pleasure from the other and giving back ten fold.

It didn’t take long for Michael to start keening, babbling Alex’s name as he came, Alex tipping over with him in an explosion of love and happiness and just downright amazing sex.

“We’re doing this again in front of the fire once we have the tree up,” Michael said afterward, his breath still coming out in short gasps as they came down from their high.

“I thought we were avoiding cheesy movie cliches?” Alex asked, brushing a sweaty curl off Michael’s forehead.

“Nope. We’re nixing that plan. That was a bad plan. I say we just lean into it,” Michael said with mock seriousness.

“Okay,” Alex said, just as seriously, “then I’d like to thank you for giving me the best Christmas present I could ever receive.”

Michael wrinkled his nose at him. “I didn’t get you anything yet.”

Alex smiled bright with mischief as he cupped Michael’s face with both hands. “Who needs material things when I have you.”

The cackle that came from Michael was loud and boisterous. “Really? Not even my indubitable Christmas spirit can save that line,” he gave Alex a stern look, his eyes still sparkling with mirth. “You’ve ruined Christmas. Are you happy?”

“I really am,” Alex said simply, his smile widening when Michael squawked in protest, obviously torn between giving him more shit or being moved by Alex’s answer.

Taking pity on his boyfriend, Alex kissed him instead, taking the decision out of his hands.

They didn’t get to the tree trimming until much later.

-

In the end Alex was right. Their life was no romantic comedy. Their story didn’t end with ‘ _ and they lived happily ever after’. _

The more they were seen in public, the more whispering there was about Michael, culminating in a smear campaign against Alex that would have caused a bigger headache for both of them if they hadn’t been prepared. 

Alex pulled whatever strings he needed to pull with his board and Michael had a hand in deciding what to share about a relationship that Isobel deemed was of C-list celebrity status despite the fact that Michael didn’t even know socialite gossip existed outside of reality TV shows.

They wisely didn’t comment on how they’d gotten re-acquainted. As much as Alex was proud of everything that made him the person Michael was, prostitution and solicitation was still technically illegal.

It wasn’t happily ever after, but for the most part, they were happy.

Alex’s deal had never been in trouble, not when Josephine had heard every word her son had said to Michael and threatened to disown him. He didn’t quite get Cam and Liz an island, but he did get them an all-expense paid vacation, and after the third time he walked in on them naked, Kyle finally learned to give Alex a heads up before dropping by.

He and Michael learned to communicate. To build a life together and as individuals.

Michael accidentally found himself doing small, important work with various nonprofits and charities. Changing the world had never been on his radar, but he admitted to Alex that when you suddenly had the resources to help it seemed criminal not to do anything.

It was at that exact moment that Alex decided he was going to marry Michael Guerin.

Aside from that, Alex, well...

On the day Alex left Roswell for the last time, he’d prepared for a life destitute. Possibly a hand to mouth existence, but one that wasn’t bound by his dad’s rules. Surrounded by found family and good friends.

What happened wasn’t exactly that. He was saddled with a legacy. Forced into a life he hadn’t wanted, but he also found a family in his childhood bully, friends who wanted the best for him, and a home in Michael Guerin.

Funny how life worked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hit me up on tumblr (djchika) or twitter (djchika_)! I wanna hear what you think and like if you want to know more about the characters in this AU.
> 
> And if it's your thing this Steve/Bucky AU is set in the same universe so go read that: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27254698

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Twitter: [djchika_](https://twitter.com/djchika_) | Tumblr: [djchika](https://djchika.tumblr.com/) | Instagram: [djchikart](https://www.instagram.com/djchikart/)


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